In response to the needs of modern societies and emerging ecological concerns of climate change and pollution, it is now essential that new high-energy, low-cost, and environmentally friendly storage systems must be found. To this end, solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) could be a real “game-changer” as they represent the ultimate solution to the safety issues associated with the use of flammable and toxic liquid electrolytes in commercial Li-ion batteries. Most importantly, SPEs hold the key for the realization of high energy-density Li-metal batteries, as they are chemical stable towards Li metal while their mechanical resistance could reduce, or even suppress Li dendrite formation and eliminate the associated safety hazards and the catastrophic failure of the battery. Despite the considerable research effort in SPEs, the development and realization of their potential has been hampered by the inability to design materials with both high ionic conductivity and good mechanical properties. In this talk, we will present a new material platform based on macromolecular nanostructured materials that provides new opportunities for the synthesis of SPEs with properties to levels not accessible before by conventional linear polymer systems. In particular, we introduce the use of novel, stiff/glassy, nanostructured polymer particles, composed of high functionality mikto-arm star copolymers, as additives to liquid electrolytes for the synthesis of SPEs that exhibit an unprecedented combination of high modulus and ionic conductivity, at room temperature. Key of this approach is the fact that the strength of interactions, that these particles empower with the liquid electrolyte, may be precisely controlled through changes in their molecular architecture and composition, directing either their dispersion or their self-assembly into highly interconnected structures. These high-functionality mikto-arm stars constitute the first example of all-polymer nanostructured particles, that their size and structure can be controlled via their macromolecular characteristics, while the final morphology of the SPEs is encrypted/predetermined within the macromolecular design of the nanoparticles. This novel approach for the synthesis of nanostructured materials, with tailored/on-demand structures and electrochemical properties, is advantageous for a broad range of applications, beyond Li-meta batteries, such as in “smart” electrochromic windows, dye-sensitized solar cells, and reverse osmosis cells for water desalination.
For forthcoming colloquia, please see: http://www.materials.uoc.gr/en/colloquia