Vibrational spectra and microstructure of poly(ε-caprolactone)/siloxane biohybrids doped with lithium triflate

Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopies and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate ionic association, hydrogen bonding and morphology in a family of sol–gel derived lithium triflate (LiCF₃SO₃)-doped di-urethane cross-linked poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL(530))/siloxane hybrid electrolytes. The materials studied, with compositions ∞ > n  0.5 (where n – composition – expresses the molar ratio of PCL(530) ester repeat units per Li⁺ ion), are non-porous and homogeneous. The Li⁺ ions interact with the urethane and ester carbonyl oxygen atoms within the whole range of salt concentration analyzed, promoting the formation of hydrogen-bonded aggregates. The composition dependence of the relative concentration of “free” anions and coordinated anions (weakly coordinated anions, ion pairs or Li(CF₃SO₃)₂]⁻ triplets, aggregates I (Li₂(CF₃SO₃)]⁺) and aggregates II (Li₃(CF₃SO₃)]²⁺) in all the samples is in perfect agreement with the values of the room temperature ionic conductivity reported previously.