Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Solid-state Graft Copolymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Applications
Published on: August 12, 2013
Robust Polymer Electrolyte Membranes with High Ambient-Temperature Lithium-Ion Conductivity via
Sujay A Chopade1, Jesus G Au1, Ziang Li1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0431, United States.
Abstract:
Mechanically robust polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) exhibiting high ionic conductivity at ambient temperature are a prerequisite for next-generation electrochemical devices. We utilized a polymerization-induced microphase separation (PIMS) strategy to prepare nanostructured materials comprising continuous conducting nanochannels intertwined with a mechanically and thermally robust cross-linked polymeric framework. Addition of succinonitrile (SN) rendered the poly(ethylene oxide)/lithium (Li) salt conducting domains completely amorphous, resulting in outstanding conductivities (∼0.35 mS/cm) at 30 °C. Concurrently, a densely cross-linked polystyrene framework provided mechanical robustness (modulus E' ≈ 0.3 GPa at 30 °C) to the hybrid material. This work highlights a facile, single-pot strategy involving a homogeneous liquid reaction precursor that yields a high-performance ion-conducting membrane attractive for lithium-battery applications.
