Better explicating the strengths and shortcomings of these models will help refine projections and improve transparency in the years ahead.
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Contributed by Joseph M. DeSimone, October 20, 2015 (sent for review June 27, 2015; reviewed by Nancy Dudney and Chinedum Osuji)
Significance
This study describes hybrid single ion-conducting electrolytes based on inorganic sulfide glasses and perfluoropolyether polymers for lithium batteries. Herein, it is shown that hybrid electrolytes provide a compelling alternative to the traditional glass, ceramic, or polymer battery electrolytes. These electrolytes present high transference numbers, unprecedented ionic conductivities at room temperature, and excellent electrochemical stability, and they limit the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. The results in this work represent a significant step toward addressing the challenges of enabling the next generation cathodes, such as lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide and sulfur.
Abstract
Despite high ionic conductivities, current inorganic solid electrolytes cannot be used in lithium batteries because of a lack of compliance and adhesion to active particles in battery electrodes as they are discharged and charged. We have successfully developed a compliant, nonflammable, hybrid single ion-conducting electrolyte comprising inorganic sulfide glass particles covalently bonded to a perfluoropolyether polymer. The hybrid with 23 wt% perfluoropolyether exhibits low shear modulus relative to neat glass electrolytes, ionic conductivity of 10−4 S/cm at room temperature, a cation transference number close to unity, and an electrochemical stability window up to 5 V relative to Li+/Li. X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates that the hybrid electrolyte limits lithium polysulfide dissolution and is, thus, ideally suited for Li-S cells. Our work opens a previously unidentified route for developing compliant solid electrolytes that will address the challenges of lithium batteries.
- hybrid electrolytes
- inorganic sulfide glasses
- fluorinated polymers
- lithium batteries
- lithium-sulfur batteries
Footnotes
- ↵1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: desimone{at}unc.edu or nbalsara{at}berkeley.edu.
Author contributions: I.V., W.T., J.M.D., and N.P.B. designed research; I.V. and K.H.W. performed research; I.V., K.H.W., D.D., D.H.C.W., and J.M.D. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; I.V., K.H.W., and D.D. analyzed data; and I.V., K.H.W., W.T., D.D., D.H.C.W., J.M.D., and N.P.B. wrote the paper.
Reviewers: N.D., Oak Ridge National Laboratories; and C.O., Yale University.
Conflict of interest statement: J.M.D. and N.P.B. have personal financial interests in the early-stage battery materials company, Blue Current, which they cofounded based on prior published research which the research described herein builds upon; a new patent application has been filed on this work.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1520394112/-/DCSupplemental.
Single-ion hybrid electrolytes for Li batteries
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