Role of Intradomain Heterogeneity on Ion and Polymer Dynamics in Block Polymer Electrolytes: Investigating Interfacial Mobility and Ion-Specific Dynamics and Transport

Block polymers show promise as solid-state battery electrolytes due to the optimization of conductive and mechanical properties enabled via tuning of the block chemistry and length. We investigate a polystyrene-block-poly(oligo-oxyethylene methacrylate) (PS-b-POEM) electrolyte doped with various lithium salts to investigate the role of molecular structure on ion transport properties and local ion dynamics and associations. Anion charge becomes more delocalized with increasing size, reducing the coupling between salt ions while increasing the coupling between ion and polymer chain motions and creating a more mobile overall environment. We observe support for this ion-polymer coupling via H-1, Li-7, and F-19 NMR spectroscopy, from which we obtain ion-specific mobility transition temperatures that differ from the polymer glass transition temperature. We also note faster transport and weaker local energetic interactions with anion size using temperature-dependent NMR diffusometry. H-1 NMR spectroscopy further elucidates polymer chain dynamics and enables quantification of the temperature-dependent fraction of the conducting block that is immobile near the PS-POEM domain interface. NMR thus represents a species-specific and time scale-specific platform to quantify phase and interface behavior and to correlate ion-specific transport with polymer chain dynamics.

Automated summary

Block polymers have the potential to be used as solid-state battery electrolytes due to their optimized conductive and mechanical properties. This study investigates the role of molecular structure on ion transport and local ion dynamics in a polystyrene-block-poly(oligo-oxyethylene methacrylate) (PS-b-POEM) electrolyte doped with various lithium salts. The results show that increasing the size of the anion delocalizes the anion charge, reducing the coupling between salt ions while increasing the coupling between ions and polymer chain motions. This creates a more mobile overall environment.