Nanostructured Single-ion Polymer Blend Electrolytes Composed of Polyanionic Particles and Low Molecular Weight PEO.

The development of single-ion solid polymer electrolytes with high ion conductivity holds the key to the realization of safe, long-lasting, high-energy batteries. Here we introduce the use of core-shell nanostructured polyanionic particles, composed of polyanion asymmetric miktoarm stars with a large number of glassy polystyrene-based polyanion arms that complement longer poly(ethylene oxide), PEO, arms, as additives to low molecular weight, liquid PEO. Due to the proposed macromolecular design approach, the polyanion particles are well dispersed for wt % ≤ 55 that enables the formation of a nanostructured single-ion electrolyte with highly interconnected channels composed of liquid PEO that promotes fast ion transport.

Ionic Conductivity and Mechanical Reinforcement of Well-Dispersed Polymer Nanocomposite Electrolytes.

Nanoparticles are commonly added to polymer electrolytes to enhance both their mechanical and ion transport properties. Previous work reports significant increases in the ionic conductivity and Li-ion transference in nanocomposite electrolytes with inert, ceramic fillers. The mechanistic understanding of this property enhancement, however, assumes nanoparticle dispersion states─namely, well-dispersed or percolating aggregates─that are seldom quantified using small-angle scattering.