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Solid-state Graft Copolymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Applications
Published on: August 12, 2013
Distinct difference in ionic transport behavior in polymer electrolytes depending on the matrix polymers and
Shiro Seki1, Md Abu Bin Hasan Susan, Taketo Kaneko
1Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Yokohama National University and CREST-JST, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan.
This study compares two polymer electrolytes for ion conductivity. PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes show significantly higher conductivity than LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) electrolytes, offering potential for advanced battery applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Development of ion-conductive polymer electrolytes is crucial for advanced energy storage devices.
- Polymer electrolytes offer advantages like flexibility and safety over traditional liquid electrolytes.
- Understanding the relationship between polymer matrix, electrolyte salt, and ionic conductivity is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize two distinct ion-conductive polymer electrolytes.
- To compare the ionic conductivity and transport mechanisms of LiTFSI in P(EO/PO) and EMITFSI in PMMA.
- To investigate the influence of salt concentration and polymer matrix on electrolyte performance.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) into poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) (P(EO/PO)).
- Incorporation of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI) into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
- Measurement of ionic conductivity over a wide temperature range, including near glass transition temperatures (Tg).
- Analysis using the Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) equation and comparison of ideal glass transition temperature (T0) with Tg.
Main Results:
- Both polymer electrolytes formed single-phase, amorphous materials.
- PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes exhibited ionic conductivity up to 3 orders of magnitude higher than LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) electrolytes at ambient temperature.
- The relationship between T0 and Tg differed significantly between the two systems, indicating distinct ion transport mechanisms.
- Conductivity at Tg (σ(Tg)) was substantially higher for PMMA/EMITFSI (up to 10⁻⁷ S cm⁻¹) compared to LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) (10⁻¹⁴–10⁻¹³ S cm⁻¹).
Conclusions:
- PMMA/EMITFSI polymer electrolytes demonstrate superior ionic conductivity compared to LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) electrolytes.
- The choice of polymer matrix and ionic liquid significantly impacts ion transport properties.
- The findings provide insights into designing high-performance polymer electrolytes for electrochemical applications.
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