SiO2-Decorated-Montmorillonite reinforced Poly(1,3-dioxolane) as a multifunctional solid electrolyte for High-Performance lithium batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have garnered considerable attention owing to their remarkable flexibility, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness. However, SPEs are hampered by critical limitations such as inadequate ionic conductivity at room temperature and issues related to lithium-ion migration, which curtail their practical applications. To tackle these challenges, the incorporation of inorganic additives into SPEs is considered as an effective strategy. Montmorillonite (MMT), a typical two-dimensional material, has emerged as an advanced filler for SPEs, displaying increased ionic conductivity, lithium-ion transference, and electrochemical stability. Herein, siliconized-modified montmorillonite (SiO2-MMT) nanosheets are synthesized and incorporated into poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDOL)-based SPEs, resulting in a multifunctional composite solid electrolyte (CSE). The CSE shows an ionic conductivity as high as 5.58 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 30 °C, with a lithium-ion transference number close to 0.58. Symmetrical Li||Li cells utilizing the CSE exhibits stable performance for over 1200 h at a current density of 0.2 mA cm−2. Additionally, the CSE contributes to the stability of electrolytes, facilitates superior Li+ mobility and uniform deposition, thereby forming a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Density functional theory (DFT) simulation confirms that SiO2-MMT, containing a large number of adsorption sites, facilitated fast reaction kinetics and effective anchoring of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). As a result, the composite electrolyte is cycled in Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries at 200 mA g−1 and 30 °C for 250 cycles, achieving a high coulombic efficiency (CE > 99.4 %) and a capacity decay rate of 0.15 %. Additionally, when paired with high-voltage Li(Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1)O2 (NCM811) cathodes and LiFePO4 (LFP) cathodes, both display excellent electrochemical performance. This research presents a highly promising approach for constructing multifunctional solid electrolytes for high-performance lithium batteries.