Double-Crosslinked Polyurethane Acrylate for Highly Conductive and Stable Polymer Electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Polymer electrolytes are crucial for electrochemical storage and conversion devices.
• High ionic conductivity and stability are key performance indicators for these materials.
• Existing polymer electrolytes often face limitations in conductivity and mechanical integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the ionic conductivity and swelling stability of polymer electrolytes.
• To investigate the effect of double crosslinking on polyurethane acrylate (PUA) membranes.
• To optimize PUA membrane properties for improved electrochemical device performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polyurethane acrylate (PUA) membranes using a double crosslinking strategy.
• Varied the concentration of crosslinking agents to tune mechanical properties and swelling stability.
• Measured electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity of the fabricated membranes.

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum electrolyte uptake of 245% in optimized double-crosslinked PUA membranes.
• Attained a maximum ionic conductivity of 9.6 mS/cm, surpassing most reported PUA and PU-based electrolytes.
• Demonstrated enhanced swelling stability due to the dual crosslinking of PU and PA components.

Conclusions:

• Double crosslinking of polyurethane (PU) and polyacrylate (PA) compartments in PUA membranes significantly enhances ionic conductivity and swelling stability.
• The developed PUA membranes offer a promising alternative for advanced electrochemical storage and conversion devices.
• Optimized PUA membranes show potential for next-generation energy applications requiring high-performance polymer electrolytes.