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Flexible Li-CO2 Batteries with Liquid-Free Electrolyte
Xiaofei Hu1, Zifan Li1, Jun Chen1
1Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education) and State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|April 14, 2017
Summary
Flexible, liquid-free lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO2) batteries were developed using a novel composite polymer electrolyte and carbon nanotube cathodes. These safe, high-performance batteries offer a promising solution for CO2 reuse and powering flexible electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Flexible lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO2) batteries offer CO2 reuse and energy for wearables.
- Existing Li-CO2 batteries use liquid electrolytes, lacking safety and structural integrity for flexible applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop flexible, liquid-free Li-CO2 batteries with enhanced safety and performance.
- To utilize a composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) and carbon nanotube (CNT) cathodes for stable battery operation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of flexible Li-CO2 batteries using a poly(methacrylate)/poly(ethylene glycol)-LiClO4-SiO2 composite polymer electrolyte (CPE).
- Incorporation of porous multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as cathodes.
- Electrochemical testing of battery performance under various bending conditions and elevated temperatures.
Main Results:
- The developed CPE exhibits good ionic conductivity (7.14×10⁻² mS cm⁻¹) and stable structure when integrated with CNT cathodes.
- Batteries demonstrated stable cycling for 100 cycles with a controlled capacity of 1000 mAh g⁻¹.
- Pouch-type flexible batteries achieved a reversible capacity of 993.3 mAh, energy density of 521 Wh kg⁻¹, and operated for 220 hours under bending stress at 55°C.
Conclusions:
- The liquid-free flexible Li-CO2 batteries based on CPE and CNT cathodes show significant potential for safe and efficient energy storage.
- This technology addresses the limitations of conventional Li-CO2 batteries, enabling applications in wearable electronics and CO2 utilization.