Ion‐Lock Storage With Multi‐Logic Circuitry Gated by Polar–Dipolar Interactions in Poly(Ionic Liquids)

In these studies, we developed a new generation of polymeric materials capable of electrical energy storage and forming higher-than-binary logic circuits. Under non-equilibrium conditions, polar-dipolar interactions facilitate t ion-lock energy storage by emplacement of cation-anion pairs along the aliphatic side groups. Maintaining their locations for extended times facilitates energy storage. These properties were obtained by polymerizing ionic liquid monomers composed of covalently attached dipolar aliphatic variable-length spacers (S) and tails (T) on both sides of a cation- anion pairs, enabling cation-anion polarization and precise fixation. When an electric field (EF) is applied, polarization of ion pairs occurs, and the ratio of aliphatic S-to-T controls ion locking. The degree of polarization governs the energy storage beyond classical approximations, whereas ion-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, and dipole-dipole coupling facilitate multi-logic circuitry. Integrating these materials into multiple series, in parallel, or a combination thereof provides the opportunity for development of higher-than-binary logic systems with enhancedr information density and multi-valued logic gates. Among others, these materials may find numerous applications in quantum computing, fuzzy logic, or modeling uncertainty, just to name a few.