Electrospun hydrophilic fumed silica/polyacrylonitrile nanofiber-based composite electrolyte membranes

Hydrophilic fumed silica (SiO₂)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite electrolyte membranes were prepared by electrospinning composite solutions of SiO₂ and PAN in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Among electrospinning solutions with various SiO₂ contents, the 12 wt% SiO₂ in PAN solution has highest zeta potential (−40.82 mV), and exhibits the best dispersibility of SiO₂ particles. The resultant 12 wt% SiO₂/PAN nanofiber membrane has the smallest average fiber diameter, highest porosity, and largest specific surface area. In addition, this membrane has a three-dimensional network structure, which is fully interconnected with combined mesopores and macropores because of a good SiO₂ dispersion. Composite electrolyte membranes were prepared by soaking these porous nanofiber membranes in 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆) in ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC) (1:1 vol%). It is found that 12 wt% SiO₂/PAN electrolyte membrane has the highest conductivity (1.1 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹) due to the large liquid electrolyte uptake (about 490%). In addition, the electrochemical performance of composite electrolyte membranes is also improved after the introduction of SiO₂. For initial cycle, 12 wt% SiO₂/PAN composite electrolyte membrane delivers the discharge capacity of 139 mAh g⁻¹ as 98% of theoretical value, and still retains a high value of 127 mAh g⁻¹ as 89% at 150th cycle, which is significantly higher that of pure PAN nanofiber-based electrolyte membranes.