Polymerisable Ionic Liquids in Photocurable Materials: Ionic Conductivity, Phase State, Cure and Environmental Stability

Polymerisable ionic liquids combine ionic-liquid functionality with covalent network formation and can produce transparent, filler-free ion-conducting photopolymers. Their performance is governed by more than nominal salt content: cation and anion identity, polymerisable ion placement, crosslink density, residual mobile ionic liquid, water content and cure conversion jointly determine conductivity, mechanics and environmental response. Recent vat-photopolymerisation work demonstrates printable methacrylate-anion ionic liquids with composition-dependent printability and conductivity in the 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁴ S/cm range, showing that ionic transport and mechanics can be tuned without conductive fillers. [1] This review develops a qualification framework for such systems, separating intrinsic ionic conductivity from electrode effects, distinguishing single-phase ionomers from phase-separated ionogels, and requiring humidity, temperature and leaching controls before conductivity claims are transferred across service conditions. ER-414.