The development of new types of polymer electrolytes would solve one of the main challenges in the field of solid polymer batteries.1 The ionic conduction in block copolymer electrolytes depends on the tortuosity of the pathways ensuring the ionic transport, which is related to a morphology factor (f).2 A synthetic strategy to tune the morphology of the ion conducting block might be by the addition of surfactant nanoparticles. Although, there is a growing recognition of nanoparticle-block copolymers, the influence of the morphology on nanoparticle-driven assembly of block copolymer electrolytes has not been investigated. Ionic conductivity of hybrid block copolymer electrolytes vs the wt% of inorganic content at 90�C.  The morphology factor of hybrid block copolymer electrolytes vs the wt% of inorganic content at 90�C.Here, we describe a simple method for controlling morphology and conductivity properties of hybrid block copolymer electrolytes based on the use of surfactant nanoparticles. A co-continuous morphology of PEO-co-PS diblock copolymers results with the addition of 2wt% of inorganic content of surfactant nanoparticles, leading to an increase in the conductivity. This fact happens because surfactant nanoparticles can destabilize the lamellar structure, leading to a bicontinuous morphology, which provides efficient ion conduction pathways. The results obtained here can open a new way for the development of new class nanoparticle-driven assembly of block copolymer electrolytes with a controlled morphology and with optimized conductivity properties.___________________________[1] J. M. Tarascon, M. Armand Nature, 2001 , 414, 359[2] D.T. Hallinan, N. P. Balsara Annu. Rev. Mater. Res. 2013 , 43, 503

Nanoparticle-driven assembly of co-continuous block copolymer electrolytes

248th National Meeting (2014)

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