Poly(methyl methacrylate) reinforced poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites electrospun nanofibrous polymer electrolytes as potential separator for lithium ion batteries

Yogita P Mahant,Deoram V Nandanwar,Pankaj Koinkar,Subhash B Kondawar

doi:10.1007/s40243-018-0115-y

Abstract

Fabrication of nanofibrous polymer electrolyte membranes of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in different proportion (PVdF:PMMA = 100:0, 80:20 and 50:50) by electrospinning is reported to investigate the influence of PMMA on lithium ion battery performance of PVdF membrane as separator. As-fabricated polymer electrospun nanofibrous membranes were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA and DSC for morphology, structure, crystallinity and thermal stability. PVdF–PMMA (50:50) polymer electrolyte membrane showed ionic conductivity 0.15 S/cm and electrolyte uptake 290% at room temperature. After 50 cycles, the discharge capacity 140 mAh/g of Li/PE/LiFePO4 cells with PVdF–PMMA (50:50) as polymer electrolyte (PE) membrane was found to be retained around 93.3%. The electrolyte uptake, ionic conductivity, and discharge capacity retention were improved by optimizing the proportion of PMMA in PVdF. Nanofibrous PVdF–PMMA (50:50) polymer electrolyte membrane was found to be a potential separator for lithium ion batteries.

Highlights

Lithium ion batteries have been improved using polymer nanofibrous electrolyte membrane with its highly porous structure, high electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity to transport as much as lithium ions through it
Porosity is the size-dependent property; electrospun nanofibers of blended polymers synthesized by electrospinning possess high porosity which is responsible for increase in electrolyte uptake and high ionic conductivity at room temperature [27, 28]
The peak corresponding to 1734 cm−1 in the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend membrane is due to the carbonyl (C=O) group present in PMMA

Summary

Introduction

Lithium ion batteries have been improved using polymer nanofibrous electrolyte membrane with its highly porous structure, high electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity to transport as much as lithium ions through it. Polymer nanofibrous electrolyte membrane provides wide electrochemical operating window and good thermal stability useful to prevent electrolyte leakage and to minimize the firing hazard for high safety of batteries as compared to liquid

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Results and discussion

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Conclusions

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