Aliphatic polycarbonate-type solid polymer electrolytes
(SPEs)
exhibit excellent electrochemical properties with high Li salt concentrations.
A polycarbonate-based copolymer was developed by copolymerization
with poly(decamethylene carbonate) [P(DMC)], pentaerythritol, triethylene
glycol (TEG), 3,9-bis(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane
(spiroglycol, SPG) and was evaluated as an SPE. By comparing SPEs
containing 60 wt % LiTFSI, we find that the copolymerization of SPG
significantly improves the mechanical stability of SPE. branch-P(DMC/TEG/SPG) that has been copolymerized with all monomers displayed
the best ionic conductivity at room temperature, a value of 7.4 ×
10–6 S cm–1 at 30 °C. Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher
analysis confirmed a significant improvement in the value of A, which implies an increase in carrier ions. The dissociation
of Li ions from LiTFSI was probably facilitated by the increased polarity
of the carbonate unit due to the SPG and TEG oxygen and by the increased
segmental mobility due to branching and the presence of the ether
unit.