High Performance Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Rechargeable Batteries: A Self-Catalyzed Strategy toward Facile Synthesis

It is urgent to seek high performance solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) via a facile chemistry and simple process. The lithium salts are composed of complex anions that are stabilized by a Lewis acid agent. This Lewis acid can initiate the ring opening polymerization. Herein, a self-catalyzed strategy toward facile synthesis of crosslinked poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether-based solid polymer electrolyte (C-PEGDE) is presented. It is manifested that the poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether-based solid polymer electrolyte possesses a superior electrochemical stability window up to 4.5 V versus Li/Li+ and considerable ionic conductivity of 8.9 x 10(-5) S cm(-1) at ambient temperature. Moreover, the LiFePO4/C-PEGDE/Li batteries deliver stable charge/discharge profiles and considerable rate capability. It is demonstrated that this self-catalyzed strategy can be a very effective approach for high performance solid polymer electrolytes.