A study of novel hydrophobic P(TFE) particles dispersed electrospun gel polymer electrolyte fibrous membranes

Abstract

A novel hydrophobic electrospun gel polymer electrolyte [100-x% P (VdF-co-HFP) + x% P(TFE), (x = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30)/1M Li(CF3SO2)2N−] fibrous membranes with an addition of various concentrations of P(TFE) particles were prepared by an electrospinning technique. All the newly prepared electrospun pure and various concentrations of P(TFE) particles dispersed polymer fibrous membranes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques, and water contact angle measurement, respectively. The as-prepared pure and hydrophobic P(TFE) particles dispersed electrospun polymer fibrous membranes were activated into separator-cum gel polymer blend electrolyte (GPBE) by soaking in an organic electrolyte solution contains 1M Li(CF3SO2)2N−, EC: PC (1:1, v/v) in an argon-filled glove box. Among them, an optimized composition of hydrophobic electrospun gel polymer electrolyte with 5% P(TFE) content showed lower crystallinity, high thermal stability, less average fiber diameter, good hydrophobicity, high electrolyte uptake, high ionic conductivity (2.680 × 10−2 S cm−1), and good potential stability above 4.2 V at room temperature.