One-Pot Synthesis of Polyester-Based Linear and Graft Copolymers for Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Fabrication of a polymer electrolyte with a controllable structure affords a unique opportunity to improve its ionic conductivity and lithium-ion transference number (t(Li)(+)) due to the precise design of its polymer chain composition, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution. Here, we utilized the one-pot combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and organic acid-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic lactones to design polyester-based linear block and graft copolymers with controlled structures. In the simple but powerful one-pot strategy, the selected bifunctional free radical initiators, bifunctional chain transfer agents (CTAs), and bifunctional monomers were used to obtain several copolymers with different topologies. These copolymers were successfully applied as polymer matrices to solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), which possessed sufficient ionic conductivities and high t(Li)(+) values. Our strategy provides new insight into the facile fabrication of high-performance SPEs. [GRAPHICS]

Automated summary

The fabrication of a polymer electrolyte with a controllable structure can improve its ionic conductivity and lithium-ion transference number. By designing the composition, molecular weight, and distribution of polymer chains, linear block and graft copolymers based on polyester were synthesized using a one-pot combination of RAFT polymerization and ROP. These copolymers were used as polymer matrices for high-performance solid polymer electrolytes, displaying sufficient ionic conductivity and high t(Li)(+) values. This strategy provides new insights for the facile fabrication of high-performance SPEs.