Fabrication and characterizations of soft and flexible Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-incorporated network polymer electrolyte membranes

Simultaneous improvements in both structural and ionic conductive properties in solid polymer electrolytes are crucial for developing all-solid-state rechargeable lithium ion batteries with high performance and long-term durability. The incorporation of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) units into polymer electrolyte system can provide a route to achieve good lithium ion conduction and mechanical properties. Herein, we prepare cross-linked network polymer electrolyte membranes comprising of poly (ethylene glycol)-diacrylate and methacrylate-terminated PDMS that covalently bonded with four-arm cross-linker with thiol terminal groups via a single-pot facile in-situ thiol-ene polymerization method. The network polymer electrolyte membranes provide the unprecedented combination of mechanical strength, ionic conductivity, and merits for good interfacial compatibility with electrodes in all-solid-state battery applications. The overall performance demonstrates that the PDMS-based electrolytes are promising solid electrolytes for future high-performance rechargeable lithium ion batteries. • Poly (dimethylsiloxane)-containing network polymer electrolytes are developed. • The cross-linked network system gives flexible and tough membranes. • The electrolytes show good ion conductive and electrochemical properties. • The PDMS-based electrolytes are promising materials for battery applications.