Polymer Electrolytes

Characterization Techniques and Energy Applications

Tan Winie, Abdul K. Arof, Sabu Thomas, Tan Winie, Abdul K. Arof, Sabu Thomas

• Publisher: Wiley-VCH
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9783527342006
• eBook ISBN: 9783527805464
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Physics
• Index: Physics

A comprehensive overview of the main characterization techniques of polymer electrolytes and their applications in electrochemical devices

Polymer Electrolytes is a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the characterization and applications of polymer electrolytes. The authors ? noted experts on the topic ? discuss the various characterization methods, including impedance spectroscopy and thermal characterization. The authors also provide information on the myriad applications of polymer electrolytes in electrochemical devices, lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells and electrochromic windows.

Over the past three decades, researchers have been developing new polymer electrolytes and assessed their application potential in electrochemical and electrical power generation, storage, and conversion systems. As a result, many new polymer electrolytes have been found, characterized, and applied in electrochemical and electrical devices. This important book:

-Reviews polymer electrolytes, a key component in electrochemical power sources, and thus benefits scientists in both academia and industry
-Provides an interdisciplinary resource spanning electrochemistry, physical chemistry, and energy applications
-Contains detailed and comprehensive information on characterization and applications of polymer electrolytes

Written for materials scientists, physical chemists, solid state chemists, electrochemists, and chemists in industry professions, Polymer Electrolytes is an essential resource that explores the key characterization techniques of polymer electrolytes and reveals how they are applied in electrochemical devices.

1
Polymer Electrolytes: State of the Art

Masashi Kotobuki

National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd., Singapore, 119077, Singapore

Polymers are defined as large molecules or macromolecules, which consist of repeated subunits. The polymers may be synthetic plastics or natural biopolymers such as protein, DNA, and so on. In the past 20 years, polymers have been tailored as electron or ion conductors. When appropriate salt is added into some polymers, their ionic conductivity can be improved to the value that can be used as electrolyte. In the past three decades, many researchers have endeavored to develop new polymer electrolytes (PEs) due to their potential application in electrochemical/electrical power generation, storage, and conversion systems. As a result, a lot of new PEs have been found, characterized, and tried to be applied in electrochemical/electrical devices. Particularly, Li ion‐conductive PEs have been of interest for application in Li batteries due to their high energy density. In this chapter, the state‐of‐the‐art development of Li ion‐conductive PEs is described.

1.1 Introduction

PE was first introduced in 1973 [1]. Since then, the research on PE has been eagerly performed by many researchers, especially in the early 1980s, due to the recognition of PEs in industrial applications.

PE is a membrane composed of salts dissolved in a polymer [2]. Some polymer matrixes such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) can dissolve salts and form salt–polymer complexes due to the interaction between oxygen atom in the polymer chain and cation in the salt. This solvent‐free and ion‐conductive system has been expected to be widely applied in electrochemical devices like rechargeable solid‐state batteries, especially rechargeable Li ion batteries. In recent years, PEs have other prospective applications in advanced electrochemical, electrochromic, and electronic devices such as fuel cells, supercapacitors, electrochemical sensors, analog memory devices, and electrochromic windows [3–7]. Figure 1.1 shows the structure of commercial Li ion batteries using graphite and LiCoO₂ as an anode and cathode, respectively. Li ions only exist in the cathode side when the batteries are constructed. The Li ions move from cathode to anode in a charge process. In a discharge process, Li ions migrate to the opposite direction. The electrolyte does not get involved in battery reactions in the Li batteries and just acts as Li ion‐conductive media. In general, the electrodes of Li batteries are prepared by mixing three components, i.e. active material, binder, and conductive material. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) has been used as a binder thus far. As a conductive material, acetylene black and Ketjen black have been normally employed. These three components are mixed and added into...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• 1 Polymer Electrolytes: State of the Art
• 2 Impedance Spectroscopy in Polymer Electrolyte Characterization
• 3 Thermal Characterization of Polymer Electrolytes
• 4 Energy in a Portable World
• 5 Insight on Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochemical Devices Applications
• 6 Polymer Electrolyte Application in Electrochemical Devices
• 7 Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Ion Batteries and Challenges: Part I
• 8 Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Ion Batteries and Challenges: Part II
• 9 Polymer Electrolytes for Supercapacitor and Challenges
• 10 Polymer Electrolytes for Quantum Dot‐Sensitized Solar Cells (QDSSCs) and Challenges
• 11 Polymer Electrolytes for Perovskite Solar Cell and Challenges
• 12 Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochromic Windows
• Index
• End User License Agreement