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Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 12998

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chi-Ping Li

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 36063, Taiwan
Interests: advanced polymer chemistry; electrochromic materials; hydrogels; LED & IC encapsulants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Fang-Chi Hsu

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Guest Editor

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, Taiwan
Interests: advanced polymer chemistry; conductive polymer; solar cells; nanocomposites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Shu-Ling Huang

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 36063, Taiwan
Interests: advanced polymer chemistry; energy storage battery materials; smart hydrogel materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the journal Polymers, entitled “Polymer Electrolytes: Recent Progress and Applications,” aims to bring together papers focused on the recent progress and applications of polymer electrolyte materials concerning optical properties, electrochemical properties, and mechanical properties. These polymeric electrolytes are mainly for energy, optoelectrochemical, building, and automobile applications. The process and progress to assemble them are also included in this issue. We aim to cover but are not limited to the fields of solar cells, electrochromic devices, batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, actuators, and sensors. Thus, we want to highlight the efforts of researchers who have contributed to recent development in those fields based on polymer electrolytes as the aim of this Special Issue.

Dr. Chi-Ping Li
Prof. Dr. Fang-Chi Hsu
Prof. Dr. Shu-Ling Huang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

polymer electrolytes
solid-state polymer electrolytes
gel polymer electrolytes
block copolymer electrolytes
electrochromics
batteries
fuel cells
solar cells
electrochemical devices
sensors
actuators

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 6427 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anionic Anchoring Enhanced Quasi Solid Composite Polymer Electrolytes for High Performance Lithium Metal Battery

by Ruliang Liu, Xinyi Lai, Jiaqi Xue, Haiping Chen, Lijun Xie, Yanxuan Qiu and Wei Yin

Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4716; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244716 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 870

Abstract

Herein, ZIF-8 inorganic particles with different sized reinforced poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) solid composite polymer electrolytes (PVDF-HFP/10%ZIF-8) were prepared via a facile blade-coating approach, and free-standing quasi solid-state composite electrolytes (PVDF-HFP/10%ZIF-8(0.6)/Plasticizer, abbreviated as PH/10%ZIF-8(0.6)/P), were further obtained through the introduction of plasticizer. Optimized PH/10%ZIF-8(0.6)/P exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 2.8 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C, and superior Li⁺ transfer number of 0.89 with an ultrathin thickness (26 µm). Therefore, PH/10%ZIF-8(0.6)/P could effectively inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites, and the assembled Li/LiFePO₄ cell delivered good cycling stability with a capacity retention rate of 89.1% after 100 cycles at 0.5 C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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24 pages, 9299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrical, Thermal, and Structural Characterization of Plant-Based 3D Printed Gel Polymer Electrolytes for Future Electrochemical Applications

by Muhammad Afiq Hazizi Mahamood, Muhammad Faishal Norjeli, Ahmad Adnan Abu Bakar, Shahino Mah Abdullah, Nizam Tamchek, Ikhwan Syafiq Mohd Noor, Ala H. Sabeeh, Ahmad Fudy Alforidi, Ibrahim H. Khawaji and Mohd Ifwat Mohd Ghazali

Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4713; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244713 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1228

Abstract

In this work, a plant-based resin gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was prepared by stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. Lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) with a concentration between 0 wt.% and 25 wt.% was added into the plant-based resin to observe its influence on electrical and structural characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed shifts in the carbonyl, ester, and amine groups, proving that complexation between the polymer and LiClO4 had occurred. GPEs with a 20 wt.% LiClO₄ (S20) showed the highest room temperature conductivity of 3.05 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ due to the highest number of free ions as determined from FTIR deconvolution. The mobility of free ions in S20 electrolytes was also the highest due to greater micropore formation, as observed via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images. Transference number measurements suggest that ionic mobility plays a pivotal role in influencing the conductivity of S20 electrolytes. Based on this work, it can be concluded that the plant-based resin GPE with LiClO₄ is suitable for future electrochemical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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14 pages, 5680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Self-Healing Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone)-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells: Effect of Solvent Content

by Mae Hwa Tai, Hui San Thiam, Shiau Foon Tee, Yun Seng Lim, Lip Huat Saw and Soon Onn Lai

Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4641; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244641 - 08 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 980

Abstract

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with superior characteristics are needed to advance fuel cell technology. Nafion, the most used PEM in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), has excellent proton conductivity but suffers from high methanol permeability and long-term performance degradation. Thus, this study aimed to create a healable PEM with improved durability and methanol barrier properties by combining sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). The effect of changing the N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) solvent concentration during membrane casting was investigated. Lower DMAc concentrations improved water absorption and, thus, membrane proton conductivity, but methanol permeability increased correspondingly. For the best trade-off between these two characteristics, the blend membrane with a 10 wt% DMAc solvent (SP10) exhibited the highest selectivity. SP10 also showed a remarkable self-healing capacity by regaining 88% of its pre-damage methanol-blocking efficiency. The ability to self-heal decreased with the increasing solvent concentration because of the increased crosslinking density and structure compactness, which reduced chain mobility. Optimizing the solvent concentration during membrane preparation is therefore an important factor in improving membrane performance in DMFCs. With its exceptional methanol barrier and self-healing characteristics, the pioneering SPEEK/PVA blend membrane may contribute to efficient and durable fuel cell systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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13 pages, 3661 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Flexible Films for Supercapacitors Using Halloysite Nano-Clay Incorporated Poly(lactic acid)

by Bipin S. Chikkatti, Ashok M. Sajjan, Nagaraj R. Banapurmath, Javed Khan Bhutto, Rajesh Verma and T. M. Yunus Khan

Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4587; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234587 - 30 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1000

Abstract

In the past few years, significant research efforts have been directed toward improving the electrochemical capabilities of supercapacitors by advancing electrode materials. The present work signifies the development of poly(lactic acid)/alloysite nano-clay as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Physico-chemical characterizations were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and a universal testing machine. Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge–discharge techniques were employed to evaluate electrochemical characteristics. The optimized poly(lactic acid)/halloysite nano-clay film revealed the highest specific capacitance of 205.5 F g⁻¹ at 0.05 A g⁻¹ current density and showed 14.6 Wh kg⁻¹ energy density at 72 W kg⁻¹ power density. Capacitance retention of 98.48% was achieved after 1000 cycles. The microsupercapacitor device presented a specific capacitance of 197.7 mF g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.45 mA g⁻¹ with 10.8 mWh kg⁻¹ energy density at 549 mW kg⁻¹ power density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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16 pages, 9185 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Novel Nitrogen-Rich Fluorinated Hyperbranched Poly(amide-imide) and Evaluation of Its Electrochromic Properties and Iodine Adsorption Behavior

by Zebang Sun, Wen Yang, Xiaosa Zhang, Xiaoyu Zhu, Jian Luan, Wenze Li and Yu Liu

Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4537; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234537 - 25 Nov 2023

Viewed by 742

Abstract

In this study, we successfully synthesized a novel triacid monomer by means of the thermal cyclization reaction. Subsequently, a series of nitrogen-rich (A₃+B₂)-type fluorinated hyperbranched poly(amide-imide)s (denoted as PAI-1 and -2, respectively) were prepared by means of a one-pot method using this triacid monomer and a diamine monomer with a triphenylamine-carbazole unit as precursors. The degree of support of the prepared hyperbranched PAIs was found to be about 60% via ¹H NMR calculations. Through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), it was found that the binding energies of C-N (398.4 eV) and -NH (399.7 eV) became lower under a current, while the binding energy peak of N⁺ appeared at 402.9 eV. In addition, the PAIs have good solubility and thermal stability (T_gs: 256–261 °C, T_10%: 564–608 °C). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis shows that the hyperbranched PAI films have good redox properties, and a range of values for the HOMO (4.83 to 4.85 eV) versus LUMO (1.85 to 1.97 eV) energy levels are calculated. The PAI films have excellent electrochromic properties: PAI-1 on coloration efficiency (CE) and transmittance change (ΔT, 852 nm) are 257 cm²/C and 62%, respectively, and have long-lasting redox properties (100 cycles). In addition, we conduct iodine adsorption tests using the structural features of PAIs with electron-drawing units, and the results show that PAI-1 had a high adsorption capacity for iodine (633 mg/g). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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18 pages, 2653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ce-radical Scavenger-Based Perfluorosulfonic Acid Aquivion^® Membrane for Pressurised PEM Electrolysers

by Stefania Siracusano, Fausta Giacobello, Stefano Tonella, Claudio Oldani and Antonino S. Aricò

Polymers 2023, 15(19), 3906; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15193906 - 27 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1182

Abstract

A Ce-radical scavenger-based perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) Aquivion^® membrane (C98 05S-RSP) was developed and assessed for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser applications. The membrane, produced by Solvay Specialty Polymers, had an equivalent weight (EW) of 980 g/eq and a thickness of 50 μm to reduce ohmic losses at a high current density. The electrochemical properties and gas crossover through the membrane were evaluated upon the formation of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) in a range of temperatures between 30 and 90 °C and at various differential pressures (ambient, 10 and 20 bars). Bare extruded (E98 05S) and reinforced (R98 05S) PFSA Aquivion^® membranes with similar EWs and thicknesses were assessed for comparison in terms of their performance, stability and hydrogen crossover under the same operating conditions. The method used for the membrane manufacturing significantly influenced the interfacial properties, with the electrodes affecting the polarisation resistance and H2 permeation in the oxygen stream, as well as the degradation rate, as observed in the durability studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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12 pages, 2901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Construction of a Bis(benzene sulfonyl)imide-Based Single-ion Polymer Artificial Layer for a Steady Lithium Metal Anode

by Yujie Wang, Mengmeng Zhao, Yazhou Chen, Haifeng Bao and Chen Li

Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3490; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163490 - 21 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 830

Abstract

Dendrite growth and parasitic reactions with liquid electrolyte are the two key factors that restrict the practical application of the lithium metal anode. Herein, a bis(benzene sulfonyl)imide based single-ion polymer artificial layer for a lithium metal anode is successfully constructed, which is prepared via blending the as-prepared copolymer of lithiated 4, 4′-dicarboxyl bis(benzene sulfonyl)imide and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether on the surface of lithium foil. This single-ion polymer artificial layer enables compact structure with unique continuous aggregated Li⁺ clusters, thus reducing the direct contact between lithium metal and electrolyte simultaneously, ensuring Li⁺ transport is fast and homogeneous. Based on which, the coulombic efficiency of the Li|Cu half-cell is effectively improved, and the cycle stability of the Li|Li symmetric cell can be prolonged from 160 h to 240 h. Surficial morphology and elemental valence analysis confirm that the bis(benzene sulfonyl)imide based single-ion polymer artificial layer effectively facilitates the Li⁺ uniform deposition and suppresses parasitic reactions between lithium metal anode and liquid electrolyte in the LFP|Li full-cell. This strategy provides a new perspective to achieve a steady lithium metal anode, which can be a promising candidate in practical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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15 pages, 9226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Molecular Weight and Lithium Bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide on the Thermal Processability of Poly(ethylene oxide) for Solid-State Electrolytes

by Katharina Platen, Frederieke Langer, Roland Bayer, Robert Hollmann, Julian Schwenzel and Matthias Busse

Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3375; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163375 - 11 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1073

Abstract

New energy systems such as all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology are becoming increasingly important today. Recently, researchers have been investigating the transition from the lab-scale production of ASSB components to a larger scale. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is a promising candidate for the large-scale production of polymer-based solid electrolytes (SPEs) because it offers many processing options. Hence, in this work, the thermal processing route for a PEO-Lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) SPE in the ratio of 20:1 (EO:Li) is investigated using kneading experiments. Here, we clearly show the sensitivity of PEO during thermal processing, especially for high-molecular-weight PEO (M_w = 600,000 g mol⁻¹). LiTFSI acts as a plasticizer for low-molecular-weight PEO (M_w = 100,000 g mol⁻¹), while it amplifies the degradation of high-molecular-weight PEO. Further, LiTFSI affects the thermal properties of PEO and its crystallinity. This leads to a higher chain mobility in the polymer matrix, which improves the flowability. In addition, the spherulite size of the produced PEO electrolytes differs from the molecular weight. This work demonstrates that low-molecular-weight PEO is more suitable for thermal processing as a solid electrolyte due to the process stability. High-molecular-weight PEO, especially, is strongly influenced by the process settings and LiTFSI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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15 pages, 5218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrical and Mechanical Characterisation of Poly(ethylene)oxide-Polysulfone Blend for Composite Structural Lithium Batteries

by Francesco Gucci, Marzio Grasso, Stefano Russo, Glenn J. T. Leighton, Christopher Shaw and James Brighton

Polymers 2023, 15(11), 2581; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15112581 - 05 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1648

Abstract

In this work, a blend of PEO, polysulfone (PSF), and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSi) was prepared at different PEO–PSf weight ratios (70-30, 80-20, and 90-10) and ethylene oxide to lithium (EO/Li) ratios (16/1, 20/1, 30/1, and 50/1). The samples were characterised using FT-IR, DSC, and XRD. Young’s modulus and tensile strength were evaluated at room temperature with micro-tensile testing. The ionic conductivity was measured between 5 °C and 45 °C through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The samples with a ratio of PEO and PSf equal to 70-30 and EO/Li ratio equal to 16/1 have the highest conductivity (1.91 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm) at 25 °C, while the PEO–PSf 80-20 EO/Li = 50/1 have the highest averaged Young’s modulus of about 1.5 GPa at 25 °C. The configuration with a good balance between electrical and mechanical properties is the PEO–PSf 70-30 EO/Li = 30/1, which has a conductivity of 1.17 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm and a Young’s modulus of 800 MPa, both measured at 25 °C. It was also found that increasing the EO/Li ratio to 16/1 dramatically affects the mechanical properties of the samples with them showing extreme embrittlement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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Review

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22 pages, 7848 KiB

Open AccessReview

Solid-State Electrolyte for Lithium-Air Batteries: A Review

by Qiancheng Zhu, Jie Ma, Shujian Li and Deyu Mao

Polymers 2023, 15(11), 2469; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15112469 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2576

Abstract

Traditional lithium–air batteries (LABs) have been seriously affected by cycle performance and safety issues due to many problems such as the volatility and leakage of liquid organic electrolyte, the generation of interface byproducts, and short circuits caused by the penetration of anode lithium dendrite, which has hindered its commercial application and development. In recent years, the emergence of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for LABs well alleviated the above problems. SSEs can prevent moisture, oxygen, and other contaminants from reaching the lithium metal anode, and their inherent performance can solve the generation of lithium dendrites, making them potential candidates for the development of high energy density and safety LABs. This paper mainly reviews the research progress of SSEs for LABs, the challenges and opportunities for synthesis and characterization, and future strategies are addressed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Electrolyte: Recent Progress and Applications)

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