Mingtao Li

Polymerized Ionic Networks with High Charge Density: Quasi‐Solid Electrolytes in Lithium‐Metal Batteries

Polymerized ionic networks (PINs) with six ion pairs per repeating unit are synthesized by nucleophilic-substitution-mediated polymerization or radical polymerization of monomers bearing six 1-vinylimidazolium cations. PIN-based solid-like electrolytes show good ionic conductivities (up to 5.32 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 22°C), wide electrochemical stability windows (up to 5.6 V), and good interfacial compatibility with the electrodes.

Graphene-Analogues Boron Nitride Nanosheets Confining Ionic Liquids: A High-Performance Quasi-Liquid Solid Electrolyte.

Solid electrolytes are one of the most promising electrolyte systems for safe lithium batteries, but the low ionic conductivity of these electrolytes seriously hinders the development of efficient lithium batteries. Here, a novel class of graphene-analogues boron nitride (g-BN) nanosheets confining an ultrahigh concentration of ionic liquids (ILs) in an interlayer and out-of-layer chamber to give rise to a quasi-liquid solid electrolyte (QLSE) is reported. The electron-insulated g-BN nanosheet host with a large specific surface area can confine ILs as much as 10 times of the hosts weight to afford high ionic conductivity (3.85 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 25 °C, even 2.32 × 10(-4) S cm(-1) at -20 °C), which is close to that of the corresponding bulk IL electrolytes. The high ionic conductivity of QLSE is attributed to the enormous absorption for ILs and the confining effect of g-BN to form the ordered lithium ion transport channels in an interlayer and out-of-layer of g-BN. Furthermore, the electrolyte displays outstanding electrochemical properties and battery performance. In principle, this work enables a wider tunability, further opening up a new field for the fabrication of the next-generation QLSE based on layered nanomaterials in energy conversion devices.