Effect of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Nanoparticles (POSS–PEG(n = 4)) on Thermal, Mechanical, and Electrical Properties of PEO‐Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Abstract

ABSTRACTAdding organic–inorganic hybrid nanoparticles is a potential way to enhance room temperature ionic conductivity and mechanical strength of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). In this work, a new nanocomposite solid polymer electrolyte (NSPE) based on poly(ethylene oxide)–lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl) imide (PEO12–LiTFSI) incorporating polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane–poly(ethylene glycol) (POSS–PEG(n = 4)) hybrid nanoparticles has been prepared and reported the effect of POSS–PEG(n = 4) hybrid nanoparticles on thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of (PEO12–LiTFSI) SPE. Results from X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry studies indicated that the conductivity increase was due to the decrease in crystallinity upon the addition of lithium salt and POSS–PEG hybrid nanoparticles into the SPE system. The mechanical properties of PEO12–LiTFSI SPE tended to increase with the addition of POSS–PEG(n = 4) nanoparticles up to 10 wt% and decreased afterwards. The NSPEs having solid state show quite high ionic conductivity (1.45 × 10−4 S/cm at 30°C), which is about 7.44 times of magnitude larger than that of the matrix polymer (PEO12–LiTFSI) electrolyte (1.95 × 10−5 S/cm at 30°C).