The electrolyte is a critical component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which largely determines device lifespan and performance. The high volatility and reactivity of the salts and solvents in contemporary liquid-state electrolytes are not only prone to performance decay but also raise safety concerns.<br/><br/>A long-proposed solution replaces the liquid battery electrolyte with a solid polymer ion-conductor. The high rigidity of solid electrolytes enhances the mechanical integrity of the device, improving damage resistance. We are pursuing <i>nanoconfinement</i> as an approach for strengthening solid polymer electrolytes. We present studies of model ionic conduction devices made by confining polyethylene oxide (PEO) within nanometer-scale volumes fabricated by high-resolution lithography and plasma etching. We are investigating this system for its potential to provide high ionic conductivity and strong barrier properties for battery applications. We fabricated cylindrical and trench-like (grating) nano-templates using both interference lithography and electron-beam lithography, with controllable feature sizes ranging from ~200 nm to as small as ~20 nm; these nano-architectures are then controllably filled with PEO incorporating lithium salts. We compare measurements of the nanoconfined ionic conductivity with the molecular structure obtained via synchrotron grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) studies.

Nanoconfined polymer electrolytes for rechargeable thin film lithium-ion batteries

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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