High-Performance Gel Polymer Electrolyte with Self-Healing Capability for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

Polymer electrolytes (PEs) are predicted to be an alternative to liquid electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) since they can overcome the problems of leakage and electrolyte flammability issues. However, polymer electrolytes often suffer from disappointing cracks or breakage, which will lead to short circuits and bring some safety issues. Furthermore, the undesirable ionic conductivity at room temperature also limits their practical application. Here, a novel gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was proposed. The cross-linking network was formed by adding supramolecular copolymer PEG-UPy to the cross-linking matrix of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), and the resulting GPE has the advantages of good flexibility, high mechanical strength, high ionic conductivity (7.5 × 10 −4 S cm −1 , RT) and can be self-repaired without external stimulation. In addition, the GPE exhibits good interfacial stability with the electrode, which can be used in high-performance lithium-ion batteries with stable reversible electrochemical reactions and excellent cycling stability.

Achievements, challenges, and perspectives in the design of polymer binders for advanced lithium-ion batteries

“…It is worth noting that the advantages of UPy quadruple bonding for supramolecular interactions has been recently used in the design of a gel polymer electrolyte (polymethacrylate with pendant PEG and UPy groups) for LIBs with self-healing capability. 546…”

“…It is worth noting that the advantages of UPy quadruple bonding for supramolecular interactions has been recently used in the design of a gel polymer electrolyte (polymethacrylate with pendant PEG and UPy groups) for LIBs with self-healing capability. 546 Other types of self-healing polymers have also been reported. For example, the high bond strength and recoverable nature of the Fe 3+ -(tris)catechol coordination complex for interchain cross-linking in an acrylate-based copolymer with pendant dopamine moieties gave rise to the self-healing effect, providing sustainable cycling and improving electrochemical performance in Si anodes (Fig.…”

Self-Healing Polymer Electrolytes for Next-Generation Lithium Batteries

“…An interesting example of a self-healing GPE without IL-plasticizer was presented by Wang's research group [100]. The GPE was based on the crosslinking network formed by adding supramolecular copolymer PEG-UPy to the crosslinking matrix of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) (Figure 10a; Table 1, entry 33).…”

Flexible Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Photodetectors Based on Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Electrolytes and Bi2O2Se Nanosheets

“…Hydrogels, which consist of three-dimensional networks with a large quantity of water or ionic liquids, have attracted extensive interest as soft materials for flexible stretchable electronics owing to their advantages, such as superior flexibility, conformality to complex surfaces, self-healing ability, and tunable electrical properties. − These features enable them to have several potential applications in various fields, such as electronic skins, smart wearable devices, flexible pressure/strain sensors, and robots . Natural polymers are one of the most promising bioresources for replacing nondegradable polymers.…”