Highly dendrite-suppressing gel polymer electrolytes for lithium metal batteries are presented utilizing perfluoropolyether-functionalized 2D boron nitride nanoflakes as a multifunctional additive.

Polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are prepared by interfacial polymerization using trimesoyl chloride (TMC) solutions in n-hexane and aqueous solutions of m-phenylenediamine (MPD) containing functionalized CNTs. The functionalized CNTs are prepared by the reactions of pristine CNTs with acid mixture (sulfuric acid and nitric acid of 3:1 volume ratio) by varying amounts of acid, reaction temperature, and reaction time. CNTs prepared by an optimized reaction condition are found to be well-dispersed in the polyamide layer, which is confirmed from atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy studies. The polyamide RO membranes containing well-dispersed CNTs exhibit larger water flux values than polyamide membrane prepared without any CNTs, although the salt rejection values of these membranes are close. Furthermore, the durability and chemical resistance against NaCl solutions of the membranes containing CNTs are found to be improved compared with those of the membrane without CNTs. The high membrane performance (high water flux and salt rejection) and the improved stability of the polyamide membranes containing CNTs are ascribed to the hydrophobic nanochannels of CNTs and well-dispersed states in the polyamide layers formed through the interactions between CNTs and polyamide in the active layers.

A series of composite polymer electrolytes containing poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted graphene oxide fillers were prepared for all-solid-state lithium-ion battery applications.

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure for lithium-ion batteries were prepared by mixing boron-containing crosslinker (BC) composed of ion-conducting ethylene oxide (EO) chains, crosslinkable methacrylate group, and anion-trapping boron moiety with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) followed by ultraviolet light-induced curing process. Various physical and electrochemical properties of the GPEs were systematically investigated by varying the EO chain length and boron content. Dimensional stability at high temperature without thermal shrinkage, if any, was observed due to the presence of thermally stable PVDF in the GPEs. GPE having 80 wt% of BC and 20 wt% of PVDF exhibited an ionic conductivity of 4.2 mS cm at 30 C which is one order of magnitude larger than that of the liquid electrolyte system containing the commercial Celgard separator (0.4 mS cm) owing to the facile electrolyte uptake ability of EO chain and anion-trapping ability of boron moiety. As a result, lithium-ion battery cell prepared using the GPE with BC showed an excellent cycle performance at 1.0 C maintaining 87 % of capacity during 100 cycles.

Charged block copolymers are of great interest due to their unique self-assembly and physicochemical properties. Understanding of the phase behavior of charged block copolymers, however, is still at a primitive stage. Here we report the discovery of an intriguing superlattice morphology from compositionally symmetric charged block copolymers, poly[(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate– co –oligo(ethylene glycol) propyl sodium sulfonate methacrylate)]– b –polystyrene (POEGMA–PS), achieved by systematic variation of the molecular structure in general, and the charge content in particular. POEGMA–PS self-assembles into a superlattice lamellar morphology, a previously unknown class of diblock nanostructures, but strikingly similar to oxygen-deficient perovskite derivatives, when the fraction of charged groups in the POEGMA block is about 5–25%. The charge fraction and the tethering of the ionic groups both play critical roles in driving the superlattice formation. This study highlights the accessibility of superlattice morphologies by introducing charges in a controlled manner.