Preparation of solid-state composite electrolytes based on organic/inorganic hybrid star-shaped polymer and PEG-functionalized POSS for all-solid-state lithium battery applications

A series of composite electrolytes (CEs) consisting of organic/inorganic hybrid star-shaped polymer (SPP13), plasticizer (PEG-functionalized POSS derivatives), and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) were prepared to investigate the effects of the composite compositions and PEG chain length of PEs on the properties of CEs. SPP13 was prepared via ATRP from poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and methacryl-cyclohexyl-POSS (MA-POSS) using an octafunctional initiator, and the PEG-functionalized POSS derivatives were synthesized by the hydrosilylation reaction of octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)silsesquioxane (OHPS) and allyl-PEG. The CEs were found to be dimensionally-stable enough to separate the electrodes in batteries, but they still possessed high mobility of ion-conducting P(PEGMA) segments, as estimated by the low glass transition temperatures (T_g). The CEs having solid-state show quite high ionic conductivity (4.5 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C) which is about three times of magnitude larger than that of the matrix polymer (SPP13) electrolyte (1.5 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C). The CEs were electrochemically stable up to +4.2 V without the decomposition of electrolytes. An all-solid-state lithium battery prepared from the CEs exhibited larger discharge capacity than that prepared from the SPP13 electrolyte at 60 °C.     

A panoramic view of Li7P3S11 solid electrolytes synthesis,structural aspects and practical challenges for all-solid-state lithium batteries

The development of an inorganic electrochemical stable solid-state electrolyte is essentially responsible for future state-of-the-art all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). Because of their advantages in safety, working temperature, high energy density, and packaging, ASSLBs can develop an ideal energy storage system for modern electric vehicles (EVs). A solid electrolyte (SE) model must have an economical synthesis approach, exhibit electrochemical and chemical stability, high ionic conductivity, and low interfacial resistance. Owing to its highest conductivity of 17 mS·cm^-1, and deformability, the sulfide-based Li₇P₃S₁₁ solid electrolyte is a promising contender for the high-performance bulk type of ASSLBs. Herein, we present a current glimpse of the progress of synthetic procedures, structural aspects, and ionic conductivity improvement strategies. Structural elucidation and mechanistic approaches have been extensively discussed by using various characterization techniques. The chemical stability of Li₇P₃S₁₁ could be enhanced via oxide doping, and hard and soft acid/base (HSAB) concepts are also discussed. The issues to be undertaken for designing the ideal solid electrolytes, interfacial challenges, and high energy density have been discoursed. This review aims to provide a bird's eye view of the recent development of Li₇P₃S₁₁-based solid-state electrolyte applications and explore the strategies for designing new solid electrolytes with a target-oriented approach to enhance the efficiency of high energy density all-solid-state lithium batteries.     

Bifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) based crosslinked network polymers as electrolytes for all‐solid‐state lithium ion batteries

Polymer electrolyte based lithium ion batteries represent a revolution in the battery community due to their intrinsic enhanced safety, and as a result polymer electrolytes have been proposed as a replacement for conventional liquid electrolytes. Herein, the preparation of a family of crosslinked network polymers as electrolytes via the ‘click‐chemistry’ technique involving thiol‐ene or thiol‐epoxy is reported. These network polymer electrolytes comprise bifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) as the lithium ion solvating polymer, pentaerythritol tetrakis (3‐mercaptopropionate) as the crosslinker and lithium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide as the lithium salt. The crosslinked network polymer electrolytes obtained show low T_g, high ionic conductivity and a good lithium ion transference number (ca 0.56). In addition, the membrane demonstrated sterling mechanical robustness and high thermal stability. The advantages of the network polymer electrolytes in this study are their harmonious characteristics as solid electrolytes and the potential adaptability to improve performance by combining with inorganic fillers, ionic liquids or other materials. In addition, the simple formation of the network structures without high temperatures or light irradiation has enabled the practical large‐area fabrication and in situ fabrication on cathode electrodes. As a preliminary study, the prepared crosslinked network polymer materials were used as solid electrolytes in the elaboration of all‐solid‐state lithium metal battery prototypes with moderate charge–discharge profiles at different current densities leaving a good platform for further improvement. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

石榴石型固态电解质Li7La3Zr2O12的改性研究现状

固态电解质是高安全性、高能量密度的全固态锂电池的核心部件,其典型代表Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂(LLZO)具有高离子电导率、高机械强度、高电化学稳定性、低界面阻抗以及对锂金属负极良好的稳定性等优势,是科研人员重点关注的对象之一,但与液态电解质相比,目前LLZO仍存在低离子电导率和与电极固-固界面接触等问题。本文主要简介了LLZO的晶体结构、改性方式等对其离子电导率及界面阻抗的影响,同时对LLZO现存的问题进行了总结,对LLZO的未来发展方向进行了展望,为探索全固态锂电池的实际生产应用提供理论指导。     

Li+电池固态聚合物电解质研究进展

固态聚合物电解质具有高安全性、高成膜性和黏弹性等优点，并与电极具有良好的接触性和相容性，是实现高安全性和高能量密度固态Li⁺电池的重要电解质体系。然而聚合物电解质室温离子电导率较低（10^-8~10^-6 S·cm^-1），不能满足固态聚合物电池在常温运行的需求。因此，在提高离子电导率、机械强度和电化学稳定性等本征属性的基础上，同时探究改善电解质/电极的界面处及电极内部的离子输运是研发固态聚合物Li⁺电池面临的关键问题。主要从改性聚合物电解质用以提高Li⁺电池电化学性能的角度出发，综述了凝胶聚合物电解质、全固态聚合物电解质和复合固态电解质中的离子输运机制及其关键参数，总结了近年来聚合物电解质的最新研究进展和未来的发展方向。     

PEO-based polymer electrolytes

Like a liquid solvent, poly(ethylene oxide) dissolves a wide variety of inorganic salts. Ionic conductivity occurs in the amorphous region of the polymer and typically both anions and cations are mobile to some extent. This paper discusses the preparation, thermal behaviour and ionic transport of thin cast films of PEO-based electrolytes containing monovalent and divalent cations. The techniques that shed light on the structure-conductivity relationship are emphasized. The temperature and composition dependence of conductivity is also considered. Finally, attention has been paid to the possible uses of these polymeric electrolytes in solid-state electrochemical devices such as primary and secondary batteries, electrochromic displays and sensors.     

Poly(urethane acrylate)‐based gel polymer films for mechanically stable,transparent, and highly conductive polymer electrolyte applications

Polymer electrolytes are attractive for the applications in conventional electrochemical devices and emerging flexible devices. In this study, we developed a poly(urethane acrylate)‐based gel polymer electrolyte with excellent mechanical stability, optical transparency, and a high ionic conductivity. These polymer electrolytes showed excellent dimensional stability and an elastomer‐like behavior with a Shore A hardness in the range of 20–40. The optical transmittance values of these polymers films were over 80% in the visible range. Their ionic conductivities were controlled via changes in the concentration of the linker, dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), and the lithium salt incorporated into the polymer. The maximum ionic conductivity reached 3.7 mS/cm at room temperature (～23 °C) when the DMPA/poly(ethylene glycol) molar ratio was 0.25, and the ionic conductivity was found to be proportional to the salt concentration. We believe that these polymer electrolytes will be useful in various electrochemical applications where flexibility, high ionic conductivity, and transparency in the electrolytes are necessary. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45009.     

石榴石型固体电解质体系：离子输运性能调控及其全固态电池研究进展

全固态锂电池采用固体电解质取代液态电解质，使其具有更高安全性，且有望进 一步提高电池的能量密度。而在众多固体电解质中，具有石榴石型结构的立方相 Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) 及其元素掺杂产物由于室温离子电导率较高、电化学窗口较宽、与锂金属稳定等优点， 最有可能应用于全固态锂电池中。本文对 LLZO 的物相及晶体结构、制备方法、锂离子电导率 的提升策略以及其所组装的全固态锂电池等方面进行了详细介绍，并预测了 LLZO 固体电解质 材料进一步提升锂离子电导率的潜在可能以及 LLZO 所装配的全固态锂电池的发展方向。     

Review on composite polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries

This paper reviews the state of the art of composite polymer electrolytes (CPE) in view of their electrochemical and physical properties for the applications in lithium batteries. This review mainly encompasses on composite polymer electrolyte hosts namely poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) studied so far. Also the ionic conductivity, transference number, compatibility and the cycling behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene) (PVdF-HFP)-[AlO(OH)]_n-LiPF₆/LiClO₄ composite electrolytes have been studied and the results are discussed.     

湿化学法制备石榴石型固态电解质Li7La3Zr2O12

锂电池因能量密度高、循环寿命长、绿色清洁等特点被广泛应用,但其液态电解质易泄漏、挥发,且隔膜易被锂枝晶刺穿造成短路,引发危险。固态电解质大多是不具燃烧性的无机材料,室温下离子电导率较高、电化学窗口宽且适用温度范围广。因此,采用固态电解质替代液态电解质具有十分重要的意义。相对于其他类型固态电解质,石榴石型氧化物Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂（LLZO）具有离子电导率高、电化学窗口宽（>5V vs. Li/Li⁺）、对锂稳定性好和热稳定性高等特点,是非常具有发展潜力的无机固态电解质。本文采用溶胶-凝胶法和低温燃烧法两种湿化学法合成LLZO粉末,对应的电解质片在40℃时的离子电导率分别为1.22×10^-5S/cm和3.87×10^-6S/cm,活化能分别为0.34eV和0.32eV。从实验结果综合比较,溶胶-凝胶法为最佳制备方法。     

Li NMR, ionic conductivity and self-diffusion coefficients of lithium ion and solvent of plasticized organic-inorganic hybrid electrolyte based on PPG-PEG-PPG diamine and alkoxysilanes

Organic-inorganic hybrid electrolytes based on poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) (D2000) complexed with LiClO₄ via the co-condensation of an epoxy trialkoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane have been prepared and plasticized by a solution of ethylene carbonate (EC)/propylene carbonate (PC) mixture (1:1 by weight). The cross-linked hybrid network shows no solvent exudation and retains a large amount of plasticizer over 70 wt.% in stable state. The in situ built in silica network provides the hybrid electrolytes with good mechanical properties. The ionic conductivity of the dry hybrid electrolyte films was enhanced by two orders of magnitude via plasticization, reaching a maximum conductivity value of 4.0 × 10⁻³ S/cm at 30 °C. Variable temperature ⁷Li-{¹H} magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR demonstrated that the Li⁺ cations can be complexed by the polymer network as well as by the plasticizing solvents, but not with the incorporated silica network. Furthermore, the ⁷Li chemical shift change indicated a progressive change in the lithium coordination from lithium-polymer to lithium-solvent with increasing temperatures. The role of the solvents and the mobility of the lithium ions were investigated by pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR measurements to elucidate the behavior of the ionic conductivity.     

New solid polymer electrolytes based on PEO/PAN hybrids

Hybrid polymer dry electrolytes comprised of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and LiClO₄ were investigated. The impedance spectroscopy showed that the effect of PAN on the ion conductivity of PEO‐based electrolytes depends on the concentration of lithium salt. When the mole ratio of lithium to oxygen is 0.062 (15%LiClO₄‐PEO), adding PAN will increase the ionic conductivity. Differential scanning calorimetry, NMR, and IR data suggested that the enhanced conductivity was due to both the decreasing of the PEO crystallinity and increasing of the degree of ionization of lithium salt. There was obviously no interaction between PAN and lithium ions, and PAN acts as a reinforcing filler, and hence contributes to the mechanical strength besides reducing the crystallinity of the polymer electrolytes. When the LiClO₄‐PEO‐PAN hybrid polymer electrolyte was heated at 200°C under N₂, PAN crosslinked partially, which further decreased the crystallinity of PEO and increased the ionic conductivity, and at the same time prevented the recrystallization of PEO upon sitting at ambient environment. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 1530–1540, 2006     

Characteristics of PVdF-HFP/TiO2 composite membrane electrolytes prepared by phase inversion and conventional casting methods

Porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP)-based polymer membranes filled with various contents of titania (TiO₂) nanocrystalline particles are prepared by phase inversion technique and, along with conventional casting method for comparison. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent is used to dissolve the polymer and to make the slurry with TiO₂. Cast film is obtained by spreading the slurry and evaporating NMP in a dry oven, while phase inversion membrane by promptly immersing the spread slurry into flowing water as a non-solvent. Physical and electrochemical characterizations, such as morphology, thermal and crystalline behavior, and other transport properties of lithium ionic species, are carried out for the polymer films/membranes and the polymer electrolytes with absorbing an electrolyte solution. Phase inversion polymer electrolytes are proved to show superior behaviors in electrochemical properties, such as ionic conductivity, electrochemical and interfacial stability, than cast film electrolytes. This is greatly owed to highly porous structure of phase inversion membranes. Even including the feature of interfacial resistance with lithium electrode, phase inversion polymer electrolytes of PVdF-HFP/(5-20 wt.% TiO₂) can be optimized as the adequate ones in applying to the electrolyte medium of lithium rechargeable batteries.     

Novel microporous poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐graft‐poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) electrolytes for secondary lithium batteries

BACKGROUND: Much interest has recently been shown in improving the performance of lithium‐ion polymer batteries with gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) due to a rapid expansion in industrial demand. Novel GPEs based on poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐graft‐poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) (PVDF‐g‐tBA) microporous mats are suggested in this study. RESULTS: Microfibrous polymer electrolytes were prepared using electrospinning and characterized for extent of grafting, morphology, crystallinity, electrochemical stability, ionic conductivity, interfacial resistance and cell cycleability. The degree of crystallinity was lower for tBA‐grafted PVDF mats than that of neat PVDF. The PVDF‐g‐tBA showed an improvement in the ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, interfacial resistance and cyclic performance. CONCLUSION: The tBA‐grafted PVDF microporous electrolytes are promising candidates for enhancing the performance of lithium‐ion polymer batteries. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Design and synthesis of ionic-conductive epoxy-based networked polymers

To develop ionic-conductive film-shaped electrolytes with high reliability, we designed and synthesized the following networked polymers with an epoxy/amine curing system using poly(ethylene glycol) as the main skeleton, and examined their fundamental properties such as ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and inflammability. (1) Networked polymers having quaternary ammonium salt structures. (2) Networked polymers having lithium sulfonate salt structures. (3) Networked polymers having lithium sulfonylimide salt structures. (4) Networked polymers swollen with ionic liquid solutions of lithium salts. Consequently, we found that networked polymers swollen with ionic liquid solutions containing lithium salts showed high ionic conductivity and high thermal stability with excellent non-flammability.     

Effects of ultrasonic assisted processing and clay nanofiller on dielectric properties and lithium ion transport mechanism of poly(methyl methacrylate) based plasticized polymer electrolytes

Lithium ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) films consisted of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix with lithium perchlorate as a dopant ionic salt, poly(ethylene glycol) as plasticizer and montmorillonite clay as inorganic nanofiller have been prepared by classical solution casting and high intensity ultrasonic assisted solution casting methods. The X‐ray diffraction study confirmed the amorphous structure of all these PMMA‐based solid electrolytes and the clay nanosheets existed in exfoliated form in their amorphous phase. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy had been employed for the investigation of complex dielectric function, ac electrical conductivity, electric modulus, and impedance spectra of these electrolytes over the frequency range from 20 Hz to 1 MHz. It was observed that the dielectric properties and ionic conductivity of the electrolytes strongly depended on the sample preparation methods, and also had changes with addition of the clay nanofiller. Temperature‐dependent dielectric study of the electrolyte films confirmed that their dc ionic conductivity and conductivity relaxation time values obeyed the Arrhenius behavior. This study also revealed that the lithium ion transportation in the ion–dipolar complexes of these electrolytes occurred through hopping mechanism and it was correlated with the conductivity relaxation time. Preparation of these electrolyte films through ultrasonic assisted solution casting method increased the ionic conductivity by more than one order of magnitude in comparison to that of the classical solution casting method, which revealed that the former was a novel method for the preparation of these SPEs of relatively enhanced ionic conductivity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42188.     

Ta、Ba共掺杂石榴石型Li7La3Zr2O12电解质的制备及性能研究

传统锂离子电池采用有机电解液体系,能量密度难以进一步提升,同时存在一定的安全隐患。采用无机固体电解质构建全固态锂电池,在提高电池能量密度同时可兼顾安全性问题。在众多无机固体电解质中,Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂(LLZO)石榴石电解质具有离子电导率高、与金属锂接触稳定等优势,成为受人关注的材料。为了进一步提高该材料的导电性,采用固相法合成Ta、Ba共掺杂LLZO(Li_7-x+yLa_3-yBa_yZr_2-xTa_xO₁₂)电解质,采用X射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜和电化学阻抗法分析样品的物相结构、微观形貌及离子电导率。结果表明,Ta⁵⁺掺杂能够稳定立方相结构,Ba²⁺作为掺杂剂和烧结剂,促进晶粒生长和陶瓷致密化,从而降低总电阻。其中,Li_6.45La_2.95Ba_0.05Zr_1.4Ta_0.6O₁₂样品在室温下的总电导率为1.07×10^-3 S·cm^-1,活化能为0.378 eV。Ta⁵⁺/Ba²⁺共掺杂有利于制备高致密度和高电导率的石榴石型电解质材料。     

Room-Temperature Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries Using Metal Organic Framework Composited Comb-Like Methoxy Poly(ethylene glycol) Acrylate Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolyte with good thermal stability and flexibility is an excellent candidate for solid-state lithium metal batteries, while its low ionic conductivity caused by high crystallinity limits its application at ambient temperature. Here a metal organic framework (zeolitic imidazolate framework-8, ZIF-8) composited comb-like methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate polymer electrolyte (MCPE) with high ionic conductivity (9.96 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C) is prepared by an in situ UV polymerization method. The as-prepared MCPE exhibits improved mechanical property due to the introduction of porous ZIF-8 nanofillers, which is beneficial to suppress the growth of lithium dendrites. Consequently, the LiFePO₄||MCPE||Li cells show a high capacity of 116 mAh g⁻¹ at 30 °C and 0.5 C, and maintain 89.4% of initial capacity after 150 cycles with the average Coulombic efficiency of 99.9%. These results demonstrate that the MCPE shows great potential in solid-state lithium metal batteries near room temperature.     

Effect of surface modified porous inorganic-organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes on the properties of polyethylene oxide based solid polymer electrolytes

2-(2-methyloxyethoxy)ethanol modified poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sufonyldiphenol) (PZS) nanotubes were synthesized and solid composite polymer electrolytes based on the surface modified polyphosphazene nanotubes added to PEO/LiClO₄ model system were prepared. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the characteristics of the composite polymer electrolytes (CPE). The ionic conductivity, lithium ion transference number and electrochemical stability window can be enhanced after the addition of surface modified PZS nanotubes. The electrochemical investigation shows that the solid composite polymer electrolytes incorporated with PZS nanotubes have higher ionic conductivity and lithium ion transference number than the filler SiO₂. Maximum ionic conductivity values of 4.95 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at ambient temperature and 1.64 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at 80 °C with 10 wt % content of surface modified PZS nanotubes were obtained and the lithium ion transference number was 0.41. The good chemical properties of the solid state composite polymer electrolytes suggested that the inorganic-organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes had a promising use as fillers in solid composite polymer electrolytes and the PEO₁₀-LiClO₄-PZS nanotubes solid composite polymer electrolyte can be used as a candidate material for lithium polymer batteries.     

Enhanced Ionic Conductivity in Poly(ethylene oxide)/Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomposite Electrolytes

All solid-state poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanocomposite electrolytes were made containing nanoscale fillers of layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Two kinds of oligo(ethylene oxide) modified LDHs were prepared by template method, and added into PEO/LiClO₄ matrix (with EO/Li molar ratio of 8) to study the effect on the ionic conductivity of PEO/LDH nanocomposite electrolytes. The structures of the modified LDHs were characterized by infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The results show that the oligo(ethylene oxide) with phosphonate anion can be effectively intercalated into the gallery region of LDHs and formed as an organic-inorganic hybrid (PLDH). With enhanced compatibility of LDH sheets by oligo(ethylene oxide) surface modification, the PEO/PLDH nanocomposite exhibits fully exfoliation morphology. The well dispersed LDH layers in PEO/LiClO₄/PLDH nanocomposite electrolytes rendering the formation of amorphous phase, results in an enhancement of ionic conductivity by three orders of magnitude compared to the pure PEO/LiClO₄ polymer electrolyte. This novel nanocomposite electrolytes system with high ionic conductivity will be benefited to fabricate the thin-film type of Li-polymer secondary battery. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.