Dicarbonate acrylate based single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries

A series of carbonate-based single-ion conducting, solid polymer electrolytes were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation transfer copolymerization with anionic monomers. The abundant carbonate groups within the copolymers provide electron-delocalized complexation sites to aid Li+ dissociation from the polymer backbone, and the cyclic carbonates also provide a crosslinking site to improve mechanical properties. A single-ion conducting network polymer electrolyte prepared with dicarbonate acrylate (DCA) and trifluoromethane sulfonimide methacrylate (MTFSI) was UV-cured with a polyethylene oxide crosslinker and plasticized with vinylene carbonate (VC) to produce a high conductivity and high-performance electrolyte. The DCA-based polymer electrolyte had 0.16 mS/cm ionic conductivity at room temperature and transference number of 0.92. The use of VC was compared to a conventional electrolyte, ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate. The polymer electrolyte with VC showed excellent compatibility and stability with lithium. A lithium metal/lithium iron phosphate full cell with VC showed higher capacity and cycling stability than a cell with conventional plasticizers.