Excellent Performances of Composite Polymer Electrolytes with Porous Vinyl-Functionalized SiO2 Nanoparticles for Lithium Metal Batteries

Abstract

Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) incorporate the advantages of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) and inorganic solid electrolytes (ISEs), which have shown huge potential in the application of safe lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Effectively avoiding the agglomeration of inorganic fillers in the polymer matrix during the organic–inorganic mixing process is very important for the properties of the composite electrolyte. Herein, a partial cross-linked PEO-based CPE was prepared by porous vinyl-functionalized silicon (p-V-SiO2) nanoparticles as fillers and poly (ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) as cross-linkers. By combining the mechanical rigidity of ceramic fillers and the flexibility of PEO, the as-made electrolyte membranes had excellent mechanical properties. The big special surface area and pore volume of nanoparticles inhibited PEO recrystallization and promoted the dissolution of lithium salt. Chemical bonding improved the interfacial compatibility between organic and inorganic materials and facilitated the homogenization of lithium-ion flow. As a result, the symmetric Li|CPE|Li cells could operate stably over 450 h without a short circuit. All solid Li|LiFePO4 batteries were constructed with this composite electrolyte and showed excellent rate and cycling performances. The first discharge-specific capacity of the assembled battery was 155.1 mA h g−1, and the capacity retention was 91% after operating for 300 cycles at 0.5 C. These results demonstrated that the chemical grafting of porous inorganic materials and cross-linking polymerization can greatly improve the properties of CPEs.

Thermal Degradation Kinetics Analysis of Polymer Composite Electrolyte Membranes of PEVOH and PBT Nano Fiber

“…The ionic conductivity values are in the order of 10 −3 ~10 −4 S cm −1 . The results were comparable with the conductivity data reported in the literature, such as 5.1 × 10 −4 S cm −1 measured at 60 °C by Zhan et al [ 3 ] and 5.2 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at room temperature by Aziz et al [ 6 ]. In this study, it was experimentally observed that the ionic conductivity of the PBT–EVOH polymer composite electrolyte membrane with the 1.5% crosslinking agent ratio and 48 h immersion time could exhibit the best σ of 5.04 × 10 −3 S cm −1 .…”

“…Damage has been reported from time to time through battery explosions of products even those produced by many renowned international companies. It has been noted that high-performance polymer composite electrolyte membranes may play important roles in battery structures, not only to provide high ionic conductivity but also to construct a thin and tough interface between anodes and cathodes [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Their structures and electrochemical characteristics can be crucial for energy storage and energy conversion [ 6 ].…”

Designing Versatile Polymers for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications: A Review

“…Moreover, Zhan et al [ 140 ] prepared a partial crosslinked PEO-based SPE using porous vinyl-functionalized silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) as the filler and PEGDA as the crosslinker ( Figure 17 ).…”

Recent Advances in Graphene-Based Nanocomposites for Ammonia Detection

“…Various methods have been introduced to fabricate CPEs, for instance, binary salt systems [ 230 ], polymer blending [ 232 ], incorporation of additives, such as plasticiser [ 233 ], crosslinking polymer matrices [ 234 ], impregnation with ionic liquid [ 235 ], doping of nanomaterials [ 236 ], reinforcement by inorganic fillers [ 230 ], and comb-branched copolymer [ 237 ]. The characteristics of the particles used, including the particle sizes, concentration, surface area, porosity, and the interaction between particles and the polymer matrices, are crucial to determining the electronic and ionic conductivities of the CPEs [ 238 , 239 , 240 ].…”