In Situ Fabricated Non-Flammable Gel Polymer Electrolyte with Stable Interfacial Compatibility for Safer Lithium-ion...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Gel polymer electrolytes offer superior safety over liquid electrolytes due to non-flowing and non-volatile properties.
• Unreacted monomers in gel electrolytes cause interfacial issues, leading to poor compatibility and battery safety degradation.
• Developing stable interfaces is crucial for advancing high-safety battery technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a non-flammable gel polymer electrolyte with enhanced interfacial compatibility and improved safety.
• To investigate the role of Ethoxy (pentafluoro) cyclotriphosphazene (PFPN) in reinforcing the Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEDGA) interface.
• To comprehensively evaluate the thermal performance and safety mechanisms of the novel electrolyte.

Main Methods:

• In situ polymerization of Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEDGA) reinforced with Ethoxy (pentafluoro) cyclotriphosphazene (PFPN).
• Fabrication of a stable gel polymer electrolyte with uniform interfacial properties.
• Comprehensive thermal performance evaluation and analysis of the thermal runaway mechanism.

Main Results:

• The developed gel polymer electrolyte effectively stabilized the interface, resisting unreacted monomers and mitigating parasitic reactions.
• The incubation time for thermal runaway was extended from 10.78 to 36.34 hours.
• The maximum temperature rise rate (dT/dt)max was reduced by approximately half, from 612.0 to 388.2 °C s⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• The novel gel polymer electrolyte, reinforced with PFPN, demonstrates significantly enhanced interfacial compatibility and superior safety characteristics for batteries.
• The in situ polymerization strategy effectively addresses monomer-related issues, leading to improved battery performance and longevity.
• This work presents a viable approach for developing advanced polymer electrolytes for next-generation high-safety energy storage systems.