Derrick M. Smith

Hybrid electrolytes with controlled network structures for lithium metal batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with tunable network structures are prepared by a facile one-pot reaction of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and poly(ethylene glycol). These SPEs, with high conductivity and high modulus, exhibit superior resistance to lithium dendrite growth even at high current densities. Measurements of lithium metal batteries with a LiFePO4 cathode show excellent cycling stability and rate capability.

Tuning Ion Conducting Pathways Using Holographic Polymerization

Polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) with high and controlled ionic conductivity are important for energy-related applications, such as solid-state batteries and fuel cells. Herein we disclose a new strategy to fabricate long-range ordered PEMs with tunable ion conducting pathways using a holographic polymerization (HP) method. By incorporating polymer electrolyte into the carefully selected HP system, electrolyte layers/channels with length scales of a few tens of nanometers to micrometers can be formed with controlled orientation and anisotropy; ionic conductivity anisotropy as high as 37 has been achieved.

Anisotropic ion transport in nanostructured solid polymer electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with good room temperature ionic conductivity and a high shear modulus are needed for future energy storage devices. Extensive studies have been devoted to searching for SPE with these desired properties. In this review, we will discuss recent progresses on the correlation between nanoscale morphology and ion conductivity in SPEs. Specifically, we will focus on anisotropic ion transport in five different types of SPEs with distinct morphological controls: crystalline structure, block copolymers, mechanical stretching, hybrids/nanocomposites, and holographic polymerization.