Organic/inorganic nanocomposite polymer electrolyte

The organic/inorganic nanocomposites polymer electrolytes were designed and synthesized. The organic/inorganic nanocom-posites membrane materials and their lithium salt complexes have been found thermally stable below 200℃. The conductivity of the organic/inorganic nanocomposites polymer electrolytes prepared at room temperature was at magnitude range of 10-6 S/cm.     

Effects of the porous structure on conductivity of nanocomposite polymer electrolyte for lithium ion batteries

A kind of porous nanocomposite polymer membranes (NCPMs) based on poly(vinylidene difluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VdF-HFP)) incorporated with different amounts of TiO₂ nanoparticles from in situ hydrolysis of Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ was prepared by a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technology. The SEM micrographs reveal that a porous structure exists in the NCPMs, which changes with the incorporated amount of TiO₂. The NCPMs incorporated with 9.0 wt.% of mass fraction of TiO₂ possess the highest porosity, 67.3%, and appear as flexile fracture with an elongation ratio, 74.4%. At this content, the ionic conductivity of the NCPE is up to 0.94 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature and the activation energy for ions transport reaches the lowest, 18.71 kJ mol⁻¹. It is of great potential application in lithium ion batteries.     

Properties of a nanocomposite polymer electrolyte from an amorphous comb-branch polymer and nanoparticles

Three fully amorphous comb-branch polymers based on poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as a backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether of different molecular weights as side chains were synthesized. SiO₂ nanoparticles of various contents and the salt LiCF₃SO₃ were added to these comb-branch polymers to obtain nanocomposite polymer electrolytes. The thermal and transport properties of the samples have been characterized. The maximum conductivity of 2.8×10^–4 S cm^–1 is obtained at 28 °C. In the system the longer side chain of the comb-branch polymer electrolyte increases in ionic conductivity after the addition of nanoparticles. To account for the role of the ceramic fillers in the nanocomposite polymer electrolyte, a model based on a fully amorphous comb-branch polymer matrix in enhancing transport properties of Li⁺ ions is proposed.     

Sodium ion conducting nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membrane for sodium ion batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The paper reports effect of dispersion of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofiller on the sodium ion conducting nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes...     

Exfoliated Pt-clay/Nafion nanocomposite membrane for self-humidifying polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Monolayers of Pt nanoparticles of diameters of 2-3 nm with a high crystallinity were successfully anchored onto exfoliated nanoclay surfaces using a novel chemical vapor deposition process. Chemical bonding of Pt to the oxygen on the clay surface ensured the stability of the Pt nanoparticles, and hence, no leaching of Pt particles was observed after a prolonged ultrasonication and a rigorous mechanical agitation of Pt-clay in the Nafion solution during the membrane casting process. Systematic analysis using WAXD and TEM showed that the recasting process produced a new self-humidifying exfoliated Pt-clay/Nafion nanocomposite membrane with a high crystallinity and proton conductivity. In situ water production for humidification of the dry membranes without any external humidification was characterized by a combined water uptake and FTIR analysis of the as-prepared membrane after a single cell testing without using electrodes. The power density at 0.5 V of a single cell made of a Pt-clay/Nafion nanocomposite membrane was 723 mW/cm2, which is 170% higher than that made of a commercial Nafion 112 membrane of similar thickness. No compromise in mechanical properties was observed.     

Preparation of porous polymer electrolyte by a microwave assisted effervescent disintegrable reaction

Porous polymer membranes with sub-micrometer pores were successfully prepared by a novel microwave assisted effervescent disintegrable reaction. The fine connected porous structure was obtained by promoting effervescent disintegrable reaction between citric acid and sodium bicarbonate due to the assistance of microwave. The ionic conductivity of the prepared gelled polymer electrolyte is up to 1.17 × 10^?3 S cm^?1 and electrochemical window 4.5 V. This method provides a convenient route to prepare porous polymer electrolyte, which will greatly promote the practical application of porous polymer electrolytes.     

Effect of MgO nanoparticles on ionic conductivity and electrochemical properties of nanocomposite polymer electrolyte

This paper analyzes the comparison between the performances and morphologies of the PMMA gel and composite electrolyte membrane with nanosized MgO particles. These polymer electrolytes were studied in detailed using XRD, DSC, SEM and AC impedance analysis. The conductivity enhancement has been attributed to the addition of ceramic filler that yields a significant increase of surface to volume ratio related to the decrease in glass transition temperature values in the composite polymer electrolyte. Good interfacial stability at the electrode/electrolyte interface resulted on account of the improved ion dissociation by ceramic filler and a rise in the room temperature conductivity (8.14 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹) due to the iono-covalent or Lewis acid–base bonds to the ions and ether oxygen base groups was also observed. Further enhancement of conductivity has been observed on MgO surface, as Lewis-acidic sites interact with both PMMA and ClO₄⁻ ions. The percentage of swelling was found to increase with increasing soaking periods upto 12 h. Beyond that soaking period, it was found that there was a negligible increase in the % of swelling.     

A porous polymer electrolyte based on P(VDF-HFP) prepared by a simple phase separation process

A polymer electrolyte with interconnected pores based on poly(vinylidene difluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) [P(VDF-HFP)] copolymer was prepared by a simple phase separation process using water as both non-solvent and pore inducer. The prepared porous membrane was characterized by SEM, XRD and DSC. With a narrow pore size distribution and low crystallinity, the resulting polymer electrolyte shows a high ionic conductivity up to 1.76 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature and exhibits low apparent activation energy of 10.35 kJ mol⁻¹ for the transportation of ions. Its low cost and environmentally friendliness provide great promise for the practical application in polymer lithium-ion batteries.     

Smart nanocomposite polymer gels

The combination of polymers with nanomaterials displays novel and often enhanced properties compared to the traditional materials. They can open up possibilities for new technological applications. The magnetic polymer gel represents a new type of composites consisting of small magnetic particles, usually from the nanometer range to the micron range, dispersed in a highly elastic polymeric gel matrix. Combination of magnetic and elastic properties leads to a number of striking phenomena that are exhibited in response to impressed magnetic fields. Giant deformational effects, high elasticity, anisotropic properties, temporary reinforcement and quick response to magnetic field open new opportunities for using such materials for various applications.     

Effect of IL incorporation on ionic transport in PVdF-HFP-based polymer electrolyte nanocomposite doped with NiBTC-metal-organic framework

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Ni-based metal-organic framework (MOF), nickel 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylate (NiBTC) has been synthesized by solvothermal method and incorporated with ionic...     

A novel polyacrylonitrile-based porous structure gel polymer electrolyte composited by incorporating polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane by phase inversion method

A novel polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) composite polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based porous structure gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is prepared by phase inversion method. The POSS additive filler is firstly obtained in the dehydration condensation reaction of vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS). The composition and structure of synthetic POSS and the prepared POSS composite PAN-based GPEs are investigated. It is found that compared with pure PAN-based GPE, the POSS composite PAN-based GPE with 8 wt.% POSS presents the homogeneous pore distribution and abundant electrolyte uptake (540.4 wt.%), which endows GPE-8% with the excellent comprehensive performances: the highest ionic conductivity of 2.62?×?10^?3 S cm^?1 at room temperature, the higher lithium ion transference number of 0.38, the good compatibility with lithium anode, and the higher electrochemical stability window of 5.7 V (vs. Li/Li⁺). At 0.2 C, the GPE-8%-based lithium ion battery produces a satisfactory discharge capacity of 140 mAh g^?1.

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Novel solid-state polymer electrolyte consisting of a porous layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte thin film and oligoethylene glycol

A novel solid-state polymer electrolyte was constructed using layer-by-layer (LbL) polyelectrolyte assembly of linear poly(ethylenimine) (LPEI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), combined with a plasticization step using oligoethylene glycol dicarboxylic acid (OEGDA). This composite film exhibits a relatively high ionic conductivity of 9.5 x 10(-5) S/cm at 25 degrees C and 22% relative humidity. Detailed characterization of the composite was undertaken using grazing-angle Fourier transform infrared (GA-FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and impedance spectroscopy. After immersing the LPEI/PAA films into OEGDA aqueous solutions, the films exhibited a swelling behavior and increased surface roughness indicative of porosity induced by reorganization of ionic interactions between LPEI and PAA in acidic solution. This internal porous structure allows inclusion of OEGDA within the multilayer and increased ionic conductivity under ambient conditions due to the combined effects of plasticization of the LbL matrix by atmospheric water as well as the added mobility of ions in molten OEGDA within the composite.     

A novel process to prepare porous membranes comprising SnO2 nanoparticles and P(MMA-AN) as polymer electrolyte

We have successfully developed a new process to prepare porous poly(methyl methacrylate-co-acrylonitrile) (P(MMA-AN)) copolymer based gel electrolyte. The porous structure in the polymer matrix is achieved by adding SnO₂ nanoparticles which are mostly used as gas sensor materials. The quasi-aromatic solvent, NMP, has an electron-repulsion effect with the space charge layer on the surface of SnO₂ nanoparticles and forms a special gas–liquid phase interface. Once the cast polymer solution is stored at an elevated temperature to evaporate the solvent, gas–liquid phase separation happens and spherical pores are obtained. The ionic conductivity at room temperature of the prepared gel polymer electrolyte based on the porous membrane is as high as 1.54 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ with the electrochemical stability up to 5.10 V (vs. Li/Li⁺). This method presents another promising way to prepare porous polymer electrolyte for practical use.     

Segmental mobility and relaxation processes of Fe2O3 nanoparticle-loaded fast ionic transport nanocomposite gel polymer electrolyte

The interaction of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles emphasized between poly(propylene glycol) (PPG 4000) and silver triflate (AgCF₃SO₃) on the conformal changes of coordination sites and the electrochemical properties have been investigated. On the influence of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles distribution, the interactions between the ether oxygen in C–O–C of the polymer chain with Ag⁺ ion as a result of bond strength of the C–O–C stretching vibration, the end group effect has been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The formation of transient cross-links between polymer chains and filler particles appears to be a characteristic change in the glass transition temperature (T _g) and enhance the effective number of cations as well. The strength of ion–polymer interactions was revealed by the transport of ions, t _Ag+, and found to be in the range of 0.42–0.50, and the ionic conductivity was ascertained by complex impedance analysis with a maximum of 9.2?×?10^?4 S cm^?1 at 298 K with a corresponding concentration of 10 wt% Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The temperature dependence of conductivity has been examined based on the Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) equation, thereby suggesting the segmental chain motion and free volume changes. From the impedance data, both the dielectric and modulus behaviours have been revealed and both were well correlated as a function of frequency.     

Sulfonated silica‐based electrolyte nanocomposite membranes

New functionalized particles were prepared by attaching sulfonated aromatic bishydroxy compounds onto fumed silica surface. First, a bromophenyl group was introduced onto the silica surface by reaction of bromophenyltrimethoxysilane with fumed silica. Then, sulfonated bishydroxy aromatic compounds were chemically attached to the silica surface by nucleophilic substitution reactions. The structure of the modified silica was characterized by elemental analysis: ¹³C‐NMR, ²⁹Si‐NMR, and FTIR. Afterward, novel inorganic–organic electrolyte composite membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) have been developed using the sulfonated aromatic bishydroxy compounds chemically attached onto the fumed silica surface. The composite membrane prepared using silica with sulfonated hydroxytelechelic, containing 1,3,4‐oxadiazole units, has higher proton conductivity values in all range of temperatures (40–140 °C) than the membrane containing only the plain electrolyte polymer, while the methanol permeability determined by pervaporation experiment was unchanged. A proton conductivity up to 59 mS cm^?1 at 140 °C was obtained. The combination of these effects may lead to significant improvement in fuel cells (fed with hydrogen or methanol) at temperatures above 100 °C. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2278–2298, 2006     

Freestanding sulfonated graphene oxide paper: a new polymer electrolyte for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Sulfonated graphene oxide paper was fabricated by vacuum filtration of a colloidal solution of sulfonated graphite oxide. Layer by layer assembly of graphene oxide nano sheets interconnects the conduction paths and therefore sulfonated graphene oxide exhibits good proton conductivity and fuel cell performance.     

Mechanoelectrochemical synthesis of porous Ti-based nanocomposite biomaterials

In this work we have synthesized a new class of nanocomposites based on Ti with the addition of hydroxyapatite (HA) and glass 45S5. The nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical alloying of the pure microcrystalline Ti powders with different amount of ceramics. The powder mixture was milled up to 48 h, pressed and sintered, which resulted in nanocomposite structure with the grain size of about 20–36 nm. The ultra low grain size structure improves mechanical properties of the implants in comparison to commonly used microcrystalline Ti-based implants. For example, the hardness of the Ti-HA nanocomposites reaches a value of 1500 HV and is five times greater than the microcrystalline Ti.To improve bonding of the implants with human tissue, the implants were electrochemically etched in 1 M H₃PO₄ + 2–10% HF electrolyte at 10 V vs. OCP for times up to 60 min. The treatment results in highly porous surface covered with Ti-oxide. The nanocrystalline structure is very useful during etching, due to the easy access of the electrolyte to the large volume of the grain boundaries. The nanocomposites with modified surface show very good corrosion resistance in Ringer’s solution.