Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a network polymer battery electrolyte that may be useful in producing self-healing, recyclable commercial batteries.
The team’s study, published by the American Chemical Society, discusses the benefits of a solid polymer-based electrolyte. They highlighted the potential of dynamic networks as sustainable solid electrolytes, the solid material developed can be recycled without using harsh chemicals or high temperatures.
Traditionally, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have been made with liquid electrolytes. While they work just fine, their liquid electrolytes develop dendrites or branchlike structures of solid lithium after they go through multiple charges. These dendrites reduce battery life, cause electrical shorts and create hot spots that can sometimes puncture the internal components, leading to chemical reactions or explosions between the electrolyte and electrodes.
Brian Jing, co-author of the study, talks about the teams work:
Solid ion-conducting polymers are one option for developing non-liquid electrolytes. But the high-temperature conditions inside a battery can melt most polymers, again resulting in dendrites and failure.
This led the team to develop a network polymer battery electrolyte that can achieve exchange reactions and swap polymer strands at the cross-linking point. By doing this, the team was able to create networks that become stiffer upon heating and minimize the dendrite problem. The networks can also be easily broken down and re-solidified into a networked structure after damage. This allows for restored conductivity and self-healing, which also makes them recyclable.
Christopher Evans, another co-author on the study explains further:
Most polymers require strong acids and high temperatures to break down. Our material dissolves in water at room temperature, making it a very energy-efficient and environmentally friendly process.
Jing continued:
This new network polymer also shows the remarkable property that both conductivity and stiffness increase with heating, which is not seen in conventional polymer electrolytes.
The researchers did say more work needs to be done before this could be used in battery production, but they are quite inspired that this could prove to be very useful information.
