Li+-Zn2+ tailored nanostructured metallohydrogel based mixed ionic-electronic conductors

A conductive metallohydrogel (MHG) has been obtained via in situ LiOH deprotonation of mandelic acid derived ligand H2IML followed by coordination of Zn2+ with an objective to fabricate a mixed ionic-electronic conductor (MIEC) without using any external dopant to the gel matrix. The MHG has been well characterized by UV-vis, ESI-mass, FT-IR, NMR, PXRD, FE-SEM, TEM and rheological techniques to gain insight into the mechanism of gel formation. The conductive nature of the MHG (3.06 x 10(-2) S cm(-1)) and its utilization as a mixed ionic-electronic conductor have been well established by EIS measurements.

Automated summary

A conductive metallohydrogel (MHG) was obtained by in situ LiOH deprotonation and Zn2+ coordination, aiming to fabricate a mixed ionic-electronic conductor without external dopants, and its conductive nature and utilization were well established through characterization techniques and EIS measurements.