Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 31, 2025
05:33
Solid-state Graft Copolymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Applications
Published on: August 12, 2013
21.8K
3D Printing Nanostructured Solid Polymer Electrolytes with High Modulus and Conductivity
Kenny Lee1, Yuan Shang2,3, Valentin A Bobrin1
1Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|August 25, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed a 3D-printed solid polymer electrolyte using a novel microphase-separation method. This scalable manufacturing process yields high-performance materials for advanced energy storage, offering both ionic conductivity and mechanical strength.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Advanced solid-state energy storage requires scalable, high-modulus solid-state electrolytes.
- Existing electrolytes often struggle to balance high ionic conductivity with robust mechanical integrity.
- Manufacturing challenges limit the widespread adoption of high-performance solid electrolytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an efficient, one-step manufacturing process for solid polymer electrolytes.
- To create materials with nanoscale ion-conducting channels within a rigid polymer matrix.
- To demonstrate the application of these electrolytes in energy storage devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing for fabrication.
- Employed a visible-light-mediated polymerization-induced microphase-separation approach.
- Incorporated poly(ethylene oxide) domains swollen with ionic liquid within a crosslinked polymer matrix.
Main Results:
- Achieved solid polymer electrolytes with nanoscale, tunable architectures.
- Obtained outstanding room-temperature shear modulus (G' > 10^8 Pa).
- Reached high ionic conductivities up to σ = 3 × 10^-4 S cm^-1.
- Demonstrated functionality in a symmetric carbon supercapacitor.
Conclusions:
- The developed 3D printing method enables on-demand manufacturing of custom-geometry solid polymer electrolytes.
- The materials exhibit excellent mechanical properties and ionic conductivity, suitable for energy storage.
- This approach offers a scalable and cost-effective solution for producing advanced solid electrolytes.
