Ionic Liquid-Based Electrolytes Containing Surface-Functionalized Inorganic Nanofibers for Quasisolid Lithium...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Ionic liquid (IL)-based electrolytes are promising for safer batteries.
• Developing stable quasisolid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of amino-functionalized silica nanofibers (f-SiO2NFs) as 1-D fillers in IL-based quasisolid electrolytes.
• To enhance the mechanical stability, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical performance of these electrolytes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of f-SiO2NFs.
• Preparation of IL-based quasisolid electrolytes with varying f-SiO2NFs content.
• Rheological measurements to assess mechanical properties.
• Ionic conductivity and lithium transference number measurements.
• Fabrication and testing of quasisolid lithium-ion cells.

Main Results:

• f-SiO2NFs formed a 3-D network, creating a quasisolid state at 3.5 wt% fraction.
• Composites exhibited gel-like characteristics between 40-150 °C with high ionic conductivity (~10^-3 S cm^-1).
• Thinner f-SiO2NFs improved lithium transference numbers.
• Quasisolid cells showed good rate capability and cycling stability at 125 °C.

Conclusions:

• f-SiO2NFs are effective physical cross-linkers for IL-based electrolytes.
• The developed quasisolid electrolytes offer a promising alternative for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, particularly for high-temperature applications.