Phenylboronic Acid Functionalized Calix[4]pyrrole-Based Solid-State Supramolecular Electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) face challenges with low ionic conductivity and lithium dendrite suppression.
• These limitations hinder the development of safe and efficient all-solid-state lithium-metal batteries (LMBs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel solid-state supramolecular electrolyte with improved performance for LMBs.
• To address the limitations of conventional SPEs by incorporating an anion capture agent.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of a phenylboronic acid functionalized calix[4]pyrrole (C4P) as an anion capture agent into a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix.
• Fabrication and electrochemical testing of the C4P-PEO-LiTFSI solid-state electrolyte.

Main Results:

• The C4P-PEO-LiTFSI electrolyte achieved high ionic conductivity (1.9 × 10^-3 S cm^-1 at 60 °C) and a high Li⁺ transference number (0.70).
• The assembled Li|C4P-PEO-LiTFSI|LiFePO₄ cell demonstrated stable cycling over 1200 cycles at 1 C and 60 °C, with good rate performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed flexible solid supramolecular electrolyte shows significant promise for high energy density solid-state LMBs.
• The incorporation of C4P effectively enhances ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, paving the way for safer battery technologies.