Ionic conductivity in mixtures of salts with comb‐shaped polymers based on ethylene oxide macromers

A comb‐shaped polymer was prepared from a vinyl ether monomer comprising three oxyethylene units with a terminal methoxy group. The polymer could dissolve LiClO4, NaClO4, and LiSO3CF3 salts to form homogeneous amorphous mixtures, and the glass transition temperatures in each system were observed to increase with added salt. A.c. conductivity studies on the mixtures of polymer‐LiClO4 showed a dependence on both salt concentration and temperature. Room temperature conductivities were around 10−5Scm−1 rising to about 10−3Scm−1 at ∼ 380K. A maximum in the conductivity was detected which altered with temperature. Conductivities which displayed non‐Arrhenius behaviour were analysed using the Vogel‐Tammann‐Fulcher equation and interpreted on the basis of the configurational entropy model derived by Gibbs and coworkers.