Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are a promising form of solid-state electrolyte expected to replace traditional liquid electrolytes in the next-generation of lithium-ion batteries. When compared to liquid electrolytes, SPEs offer several advantages such as improved electrochemical and mechanical performance, improved safety and lower cost. Moreover, they also offer the advantage of being flexible and transparent when compared to inorganic garnet-type solid-state electrolytes. However, SPEs still currently suffer from lower ionic conductivities at battery operating temperatures. Polyethylene oxide (PEO), and other polyether/polyacetals, have received a lot of attention due to the high ionic conductivity (c.a. 10−3 S cm−1 at 70 °C) above the melting temperature of PEO, although their poor room temperature performance, high crystallinity and low lithium transference numbers (typically around 0.2) remain a limitation to their practical implementation. Polyesters and polycarbonates have also been studied as alternative polymer hosts amongst others, as well as more sophisticated materials such as single-ion conducting polymers. However, in most of these cases, these polymers are derived from petrochemicals and there has been less research concerning the application of bio-derived polymers in SPEs. Recently, we have demonstrated the use of a bio-derived polyester in SPE applications. The polymer, derived from xylose (a renewable sugar carbohydrate) and 10-undecenoic acid (a castor oil derivative), is crosslinked with a small amount of 2,2’-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol (a dithiol resembling PEO) in order to provide mechanical strength to the material. After optimising the molecular weight, crosslinking density and salt molarity of the SPE, an ionic conductivity in the region of 10−5 S cm−1 has been achieved at 60 °C with a high lithium high transference number (&gt;0.5).

Crosslinked xylose-based polyester as a bio-derived and degradable solid polymer electrolyte for Li+-ion conduction

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.