Developing flexible and safety-reinforced 3D polymer electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide for solid-state lithium metal batteries

Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) is a potential material for solid-state lithium batteries. However, the present polymer electrolyte is hampered by its low ionic conductivity at room temperature and poor mechanical properties, which are significant barriers to its practical application. Herein, we designed a high-performance composite solid electrolyte (PLSP) by incorporating PEO, LiTFSI, and the solid plasticizer butanedinitrile into a 3D polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven framework with excellent mechanical properties. The PLSP achieved an impressive ionic conductivity of 5.45 × 10−4S cm−1, nearly 100 times higher than the original PEO electrolyte (6.1 × 10−6 S cm−1) at room temperature. Additionally, the optimized composite electrolyte exhibited an extended electrochemical window of up to 5.2 V vs. Li+/Li and a remarkable tensile strength exceeding 8.55 MPa. The stability of the lithium symmetrical battery's charge and discharge voltage platform after 400 h of cycling indicated favorable interfacial compatibility between the PLSP and lithium metal. Furthermore, the assembled Li/PLSP/LFP configuration displayed a discharge specific capacity of 131.4 mA h g−1 and a capacity retention of 93.8 % after 100 cycles at 1C at room temperature, highlighting the promising potential of the composite electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries.