Hybrid Poly Research Articles

Hybrid poly(allylamine hydrochloride)–graphene oxide microcapsules: preparation, characterization and application in textiles with controlled release behavior

This work represents hybrid poly(allylamine hydrochloride)-graphene oxide microcapsules formed via layer-by-layer technique, which can be coated on cotton fabric for textiles with controlled release behavior, based on pH and near-infrared responsiveness.

Enhanced breakdown strength and suppressed dielectric loss of polymer nanocomposites with BaTiO3fillers modified by fluoropolymer

The introduction of ceramic fillers into a polymer matrix is an effective way to obtain dielectric nanocomposites with high energy storage density. However, the inorganic fillers are difficult to disperse evenly into the polymer matrix because of the poor compatibility, which stems from the large surface energy difference and the mismatch in dielectric constant between the fillers and polymer matrix. Polymer nanocomposites with high dielectric constant while maintaining high breakdown strength have great potential to achieve high energy storage density. In this work, poly(dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate) terminated with a thiol end group (PDFMA-SH) was synthesized via a two-step process including Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization and subsequent aminolysis reaction. The polymer was then grafted into the surface of BaTiO3 (BT) nanoparticles by a “thiol–ene” click reaction to reduce the surface energy of BT nanoparticles. A novel nanocomposite consisted of the core–shell structured PDFMA@BT hybrid nanoparticles and poly(vinylidene fluoride–chlorotrifluoroethylene) (P(VDF–CTFE)) matrix was prepared. The influence of the fluoropolymer shell on the dispersion of fillers, the compatibility between the fillers and polymer matrix, dielectric properties and breakdown strength were investigated systematically. The results indicate that the strong interfacial adhesion between the hybrid nanoparticles and P(VDF–CTFE) matrix makes the fillers uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix. Meanwhile, the excellent compatibility between the two components is favorable for enhancing the breakdown strength and suppressing dielectric loss, providing a condition to prepare dielectric materials with high energy storage density.

Synthesis and characterization of protective silica reinforced hybrid poly(vinylpyrrolidone)/acrylate/silane nanocomposite coatings

SiO2NP reinforced hybrid poly(vinylpyrrolidone)/acrylate/silane nanocomposite coatings are resistant to steel corrosion. SiO2NPs toughen the mechanical strength and increase the gross contact angle of coatings, also delay underfilm steel corrosion.

Magnetically active pNIPAM nanosystems as temperature-sensitive biocompatible structures for controlled drug delivery

Here, temperature-sensitive hybrid poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) nanosystems with magnetic response are synthesised and investigated for controlled release of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and oxaliplatin (OXA). Initially, magnetic nanoparticles (@Fe3O4) are synthesised by co-precipitation approach and functionalised with acrylic acid (AA), 3-butenoic acid (3BA) or allylamine (AL) as comonomers. The thermo-responsive polymer is grown by free radical polymerisation using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) as monomer, N,N’-methylenbisacrylamide (BIS) as cross-linker, and 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropionamidene) (V50) as initiator. We evaluate particle morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size and surface charge by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Z-potential (ZP) measurements. These magnetically active pNIPAM@ nanoformulations are loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and oxaliplatin (OXA) to determine loading efficiency, drug content and release as well as the cytotoxicity against T-84 colon cancer cells. Our results show high biocompatibility of pNIPAM nanoformulations using human blood cells and cultured cells. Interestingly, the pNIPAM@Fe3O4-3BA + 5FU nanoformulation significantly reduces the growth of T-84 cells (57% relative inhibition of proliferation). Indeed, pNIPAM-co-AL@Fe3O4-AA nanosystems produce a slight migration of HCT15 cells in suspension in the presence of an external magnetic field. Therefore, the obtained hybrid nanoparticles can be applied as a promising biocompatible nanoplatform for the delivery of 5FU and OXA in the improvement of colon cancer treatments.

Synthesis and characterization of hybrid poly (N, N-dimethylacrylamide) composite hydrogel electrolytes and their performance in supercapacitor

Hydrogel materials are receiving increasing research interest due to their intriguing structures that consist of a crosslinked network of polymer chains with interstitial spaces filled with solvent water. This feature endows the materials with the characteristics of being both wet and soft, making them ideal candidates for electrolyte materials for flexible energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors that are under intensive studies nowadays. In this study, hybrid poly (N, N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) hydrogels were prepared through free radical mechanism. Ammonium persulfate was used as a free radical initiator while sodium montmorillonite was used as a crosslinker. Magnesium trifluoromethanesulfonate (MgTf2) and cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles were added to provide the conduction pathway. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The presence of Co3O4 nanoparticles in the hybrid hydrogel was confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The ionic conductivity study was performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ionic conductivity study revealed that hydrogel containing MgTf2 and Co3O4 nanoparticles (DMA3) has the highest ambient ionic conductivity (9.4 × 10−3 S cm−1, respectively), dielectric permittivity, and lowest activation energy (0.094 eV). Transference number of hydrogel electrolyte was measured which described the movement of ions due to the presence of salt ions and nanoparticles. Furthermore, electrochemical performance of the synthesized hydrogels in electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) was examined using activated carbon electrode. The electrochemical studies such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanic charge-discharge (GCD) revealed that hydrogel containing MgTf2 and Co3O4 nanoparticles (DMA3) hydrogel showed maximum specific capacitance of 26.1 F g−1 at 3 mV s−1 and 29.48 F g−1 at 30 mA g−1, respectively. Additionally, it was able to withstand 97.4% of capacitance from its initial capacitance value over 8000 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g−1. The fabricated device revealed the successful light up of light emitting diode (LED). Hence, it can be said that the synthesized hydrogel electrolyte has significant potential for smart, light weight, and flexible electronic devices.

Triggered drug release from hybrid thermoresponsive nanoparticles using near infrared light.

Aim: Developing hybrid poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based nanogels decorated with plasmonic hollow gold nanoparticles for on-demand drug delivery and their physico-chemical characterization, bupivacaine loading and release ability upon light irradiation, and in vitro cell viability. Materials & methods: Hollow gold nanoparticles were prepared by galvanic replacement reaction; poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based nanogels were synthesized via precipitation polymerization and their electrostatic coupling was accomplished using poly(allylamine hydrochloride) as cationic polyelectrolyte linker. Results & conclusion: Colloidal stability of the resulted hybrid nanovectors was demonstrated under physiological conditions together with their fast response and excellent heating efficiency after light stimulation, indicating their potential use as triggered drug-delivery vectors. Moreover, their influence on cell metabolism and cell cycle under subcytotoxic doses were studied showing excellent cytocompatibility.

A Way to Predict Gold Nanoparticles/Polymer Hybrid Microgel Agglomeration Based on Rheological Studies.

In this work, a detailed rheological study of hybrid poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) P(AAm-co-AAc) aqueous microgel dispersions is performed. Our intention is to understand how the presence of gold nanoparticles, AuNP, embedded within the microgel matrix, affects the viscoelastic properties, the colloidal gel structure formation, and the structure recovery after cessation of the deformation of the aqueous microgel dispersions. Frequency sweep experiments confirmed that hybrid microgel dispersions present a gel-like behavior and that the presence of AuNP content within microgel matrix contributes to the elasticity of the microgel dispersions. Strain sweep test confirmed that hybrid microgels aqueous dispersion also form colloidal gel structures that break upon deformation but that can be recovered when the deformation decreases. The fractal analysis performed to hybrid microgels, by applying Shih et al. and Wu and Morbidelli’s scaling theories, evidenced that AuNP significantly affects the colloidal gel structure configuration ending up with the formation of agglomerates or microgel clusters with closer structures in comparison to the reference P(AAm-co-AAc) aqueous microgel dispersions.

Preparation and Electrochemical Characterization of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride)-SiO2 Cation-Exchange Membranes by the Sol-Gel Method Using 3-Mercapto-Propyl-Triethoxyl-Silane.

A new synthesis method for organic–inorganic hybrid Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-SiO2 cation-change membranes (CEMs) is proposed. This method involves mixing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-mercapto-propyl-triethoxy-silane (MPTES) into a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sol-gel solution. The resulting slurry was used to prepare films, which were immersed in 0.01 M HCl, which caused hydrolysis and polycondensation between the MPTES and TEOS. The resulting Si-O-Si polymers chains intertwined and/or penetrated the PVDF skeleton, significantly improving the mechanical strength of the resulting hybrid PVDF-SiO2 CEMs. The -SH functional groups of MPTES oxidized to-SO3H, which contributed to the excellent permeability of these CEMs. The surface morphology, hybrid structure, oxidative stability, and physicochemical properties (IEC, water uptake, membrane resistance, membrane potential, transport number, and selective permittivity) of the CEMs obtained in this work were characterized using scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical testing. Tests to analyze the oxidative stability, water uptake, membrane potential, and selective permeability were also performed. Our organic–inorganic hybrid PVDF-SiO2 CEMs demonstrated higher oxidative stability and lower resistance than commercial Ionsep-HC-C membranes with a hydrocarbon structure. Thus, the synthesis method described in this work is very promising for the production of very efficient CEMs. In addition, the physical and electrochemical properties of the PVDF-SiO2 CEMs are comparable to the Ionsep-HC-C membranes. The electrolysis of the concentrated CoCl2 solution performed using PVDF-SiO2-6 and Ionsep-HC-C CEMs showed that at the same current density, Co2+ production, and current efficiency of the PVDF-SiO2-6 CEM membrane were slightly higher than those obtained using the Ionsep-HC-C membrane. Therefore, our novel membrane might be suitable for the recovery of cobalt from concentrated CoCl2 solutions.

Facile Interface Design Strategy for Improving the Uvioresistant and Self-Healing Properties of Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) Fibers.

Graphene-based coaxial hybrid fibers (CHFs) with a typical core-sheath structure have attracted extensive attention in recent years because of their potentially excellent mechanical performance. However, direct introduction of the micrometer-thick graphene stack structure on the extremely inert fiber surface with little negative effect has barely been reported so far and is still a great challenge. In the present work, a facile and cost-efficient dimensionally confined hydrothermal reduction, static adsorption, and thermal-assisted shrinkage sequential treatment strategy was developed to fabricate one-dimensional CHFs. The large-scale reduced graphene oxide-metal organic framework (RGO-UIO-66) hybrid layer and poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber serve as the sheath part and core part, respectively, and the final product is denoted as PGU-CHFs. The experimental results confirmed that the prepared monofilament composite with thermoplastic polyurethane (PGU-CHF-TPU) exhibited an excellent and stable intrinsically self-healing efficiency (about 85%) over 5 cycles and an extraordinary uvioresistant performance (increased by 128%) compared to those of pristine PBO fibers after 288 h UV aging irradiation. Moreover, the anti-ultraviolet (UV) properties of PGU-CHFs at 96 h are basically at the optimum level among most of the reported literatures at present after comparison. The highly near-infrared photothermal conversion ability and stability of micrometer-thick RGO stack structure and the synergism of RGO-UIO-66 hybrid sheath layer including UV adsorption, shielding attenuation, and reflection are responsible for the satisfactorily interfacial self-healing efficiency and UV-resistance properties of PGU-CHFs, respectively. Considering the diversities and versatilities of RGO and MOFs, the proposed fabrication strategy will promisingly endow PBO fibers with great application potential in the other fields such as fiber-based sensors and smart fibers.

Conjugated Polymer Enhanced Photoelectric Response of Self-Circulating Photosynthetic Bioelectrochemical Cell.

A water-oxygen-water photosynthetic bioelectrochemical cell (PBEC) comprising hybrid poly(fluorene-alt-phenylene) (PFP)/PSII-enriched membranes (BBY) photoanode and bilirubin oxidase (BOD) biocathode has been designed and fabricated. In the PBEC, water is split into oxygen, protons, and electrons through light-dependent reaction of PSII at the photoanode, and oxygen is converted into water catalyzed by BOD at the biocathode, forming the electronic circuit and generating current. At the photoanode, PFP can simultaneously accelerate the photosynthetic water oxidation and the electron transfer between BBY and electrode. Interestingly, the photocurrent density produced by PBEC after the introduction of PFP reaches 1.05 ± 0.01 μA/cm2, which is 2.5 times more than that of the BBY electrode, indicating that conjugated polymer can enhance the photoelectric response of PBEC.

Robust poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes containing chitosan/chitosan derivatives microparticles for pervaporative dehydration of ethanol

The series of novel hybrid poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes filled with chitosan particles (CS) and its four derivatives: phosphorylated (CS-P), crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (CS-GA), glycidol-modified (CS-G) and sulphated (CS-SO3) chitosan were prepared and tested in the pervaporative separation process of a water/ethanol mixture. The influence of various types of chitosan particles, as well as their loadings, on transport properties of the membranes was discussed. Consequently, the addition of chitosan particles into the PVA matrix was found to significantly change its hydrophilicity and have a positive impact on the efficiency of ethanol dehydration. The best performance in terms of the highest separation factor (263.3) and PSI (380.3 kg·m−2·h−1) was shown for a PVA membrane filled with the phosphorylated chitosan particles (3 wt% CS-P), which significantly outperformed not only other materials considered in this study, but also other hybrid PVA-based membranes described in the literature.

Novel hybrid poly(l-lactic acid) from titanium oxo-cluster via reactive extrusion polymerization

This paper reports the synthesis of novel hybrid poly(lactic acid) by use of a titanium oxo-cluster, acting both as a catalyst and crosslinking agent of the polymer matrix. The already reported oxo-cluster Ti16O16(OEt)32 ([Ti]16) was synthesized and screened at the lab-scale as catalyst for the bulk polymerization of l-lactide (l-LA). [Ti]16 was found to be highly active for this reaction as up to 90% conversion in 30 min was obtained, affording PLLAs with Mn up to 65 000 g·mol−1 and relatively narrow dispersities (1.2–1.6). These polymerization reactions were further transposed to reactive extrusion process in which [Ti]16 oxo-cluster kept its high activity, affording hybrid-PLLA materials with Mn close to 58 000 g·mol−1 (some PLLAs could not be dissolved). Electronic micro-probe analysis of the resulting hybrid materials confirmed that the titanium oxo-cluster was well dispersed all over the PLLA matrix. Finally, it was shown that the hybrid PLLA containing [Ti]16 display superior dimensional stability under heat than commercial PLLA of same molar mass.

Improving 131I Radioiodine Therapy By Hybrid Polymer-Grafted Gold Nanoparticles.

BackgroundHuman trials combining external radiotherapy (RT) and metallic nanoparticles are currently underway in cancer patients. For internal RT, in which a radioisotope such as radioiodine is systemically administered into patients, there is also a need for enhancing treatment efficacy, decreasing radiation-induced side effects and overcoming radio-resistance. However, if strategies vectorising radioiodine through nanocarriers have been documented, sensitizing the neoplasm through the use of nanotherapeutics easily translatable to the clinic in combination with the standard systemic radioiodine treatment has not been assessed yet.Method and materialsThe present study explored the potential of hybrid poly(methacrylic acid)-grafted gold nanoparticles to improve the performances of systemic 131I-mediated RT on cancer cells and in tumor-bearing mice. Such nanoparticles were chosen based on their ability previously described by our group to safely withstand irradiation doses while exhibiting good biocompatibility and enhanced cellular uptake.ResultsIn vitro clonogenic assays performed on melanoma and colorectal cancer cells showed that poly(methacrylic acid)-grafted gold nanoparticles (PMAA-AuNPs) could efficiently lead to a marked tumor cell mortality when combined to a low activity of radioiodine, which alone appeared to be essentially ineffective on tumor cells. In vivo, tumor enrichment with PMAA-AuNPs significantly enhanced the killing potential of a systemic radioiodine treatment.ConclusionThis is the first report of a simple and reliable nanomedicine-based approach to reduce the dose of radioiodine required to reach curability. In addition, these results open up novel perspectives for using high-Z metallic NPs in additional molecular radiation therapy demonstrating heterogeneous dose distributions.

Porous hybrid poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels with very fast volume response to temperature and pH

Super-porous hydrogels were prepared, which are able of fast to ultra-fast volume response to temperature and to pH, and thus show a promise as soft actuators. The hydrogels are based on the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm)/silica nanocomposite, in which the filler strongly raises the modulus and also stabilizes the pore walls against collapse during deswelling. The well-interconnected sub-millimetre-sized porosity was generated via solvent freezing during synthesis. The gels morphology makes possible both ultra-fast deswelling and re-swelling (5.5 s for 70% in both directions, in response to T). This work focused on introducing pH-responsiveness into the gels. To this end, 1–10 mol% of sodium methacrylate (SMA) were incorporated as co-monomer. Distinct pH-responsiveness was achieved already at 1 mol% of SMA. Increase of SMA content markedly expands the temperature range of the pH-responsiveness and raises its amplitude. At the same time the increase of SMA content reduces the amplitude of the T-responsiveness, which is only moderate at 10 mol% SMA. The rate of pH-response was found to be always slower than in case of the T-response: 75 s are needed for 70% of de-swelling, and 90 min for 70% of re-swelling. The vast difference in the rates of pH- and T- response can be explained by different mechanisms of stimulus propagation (momentum transfer for T, vs. diffusion for pH) and by the mechanical effect of a contracting stiff and porous surface layer (much faster pH-deswelling than re-swelling). More generally, in case of the pH-stimulus, the mechanistic limits of its propagation in ‘simple’ porous gels become evident.

Effects of interfacial ligand type on hybrid P3HT:CdSe quantum dot solar cell device parameters

A series of CdSe quantum dot acceptors possessing six different ligand frameworks (i.e., pivalic acid, pyridine, butylamine, tert-butylthiol, thiophenol, and tetrahydrothiophene) were used as platforms for investigating the influence of quantum dot surface chemistry on the performance of hybrid poly(3-hexythiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT):CdSe quantum dot bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. We confirm that the device parameters used to evaluate solar cell performance are significantly influenced by the nature of the quantum dot surface ligand. The dependence of short circuit current density (JSC) on the CdSe ligand type was probed using ultrafast time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements, and good correlations between the ligand-dependent trends in JSC and excited state lifetime were found, in which the P3HT:CdSe quantum dot BHJs with the shortest PL lifetimes possess the largest device current densities. The frontier energy levels of the quantum dot acceptors are significantly influenced by surface ligands, wherein the device open circuit potentials (VOC) were found to linearly correlate with the energy difference (ΔEDA) between the HOMO of the P3HT donor and the electrochemically determined LUMO of the CdSe quantum dot acceptors over a range of 220 mV. This work demonstrates the versatility of quantum dot ligand engineering for tuning the device parameters and performance of hybrid solar cells.

Hybrid and hollow Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) nanogels as stimuli-responsive carriers for controlled release of doxorubicin

Smart drug-delivery systems based on stimuli-responsive polymers are extensively studied because of their advantages in controlled release of anti-cancer drugs in response to induced stimuli. To develop a smart drug-delivery system, silica nanoparticles modified with 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (MPS) were used in inverse emulsion polymerization of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with N,N-methylene bisacrylamide in different amounts (MBA: 2, 4, and 8 mol%). The temperature- and pH-responsive hybrid core-shell nanoparticles were used for preparation of hollow poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) nanogels by hydrolysis of the silica cores. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the surface modification of silica nanoparticles with MPS. Successful synthesis of the hybrid and hollow nanogels was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, temperature-responsivity and phase separation behavior of the hybrid and hollow nanogels were studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The UV/Vis spectra showed that the absorption intensity was increased with increasing MPS and MBA contents in basic conditions. The hollow nanogels showed higher swelling/deswelling ratio compared to the hybrid nanogels in acidic media (pH 3.5) and at temperatures above the volume phase transition temperature (70 °C). Some of the hybrid and hollow nanogels with different crosslinking densities were used as smart drug carriers for doxorubicin (DOX), and their release behavior were investigated at different pH (3.5 and 7.5) by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The release profiles display that release of DOX has increased in pH of 3.5, and the hollow nanogels showed lower release contents than the hybrid nanogels because of diffusion and encapsulation of DOX molecules in the hollow space. The experimental release profiles confirmed that DOX release percentage in the hybrid nanogels was more than the hollow ones, while loading capacity of the hollow nanogels was higher. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model showed the best fitting with the experimental results of DOX release from PDMAEMA carriers.

Hybrid poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanomesh/ZnO nanorod p-n junction visible photocatalyst for efficient indoor air purification

We introduce a hybrid visible photocatalyst using an organic and inorganic p-n junction, which is formed by a self-assembled poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanomesh (NM) as a p-type semiconductor and a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod (NR) as an n-type semiconductor for indoor air purification. The self-grown P3HT nanofibrils form the hybrid NM p-n junction on the surface of the ZnO NR, which absorbs visible light, separates photo-generated electron-hole pairs, and forms numerous redox sites. Based on these three functions, the hybrid catalyst can effectively decompose pollutants under visible light illumination. Here, 80% of Rhodamine 6G was decomposed using the hybrid visible catalyst within 30 min, which is 33% higher than that of a catalyst without the NM structure. Moreover, the P3HT NM of the hybrid catalyst showed excellent chemical stability for washing with various organic solvents and durability during 20 photocatalytic cycles. Finally, we successfully created an artificial flower with the hybrid catalyst as an air purifier to eliminate acetyl acetate, which is a representative volatile organic compound responsible for the sick building syndrome, under illumination from a 30 W fluorescent lamp.

Hybrid Poly(hydroxy urethane)s: Folded-Sheet Morphology and Thermoreversible Adhesion.

Hybrid poly(hydroxy urethane)s (PHUs) are synthesized by copolymerizing aromatic/alicyclic cyclic carbonates with a polyether amine via addition polymerization. They result into polymers with an average molecular weight of 10 kDa and exhibit solubility in common organic solvents. The hybrid PHUs display Tg up to 18 °C. PHUs are enriched with multiple H-bonded interactions and they are assessed using temperature-dependent 1H NMR and Fourier-transform infrared studies. PHUs possess folded-sheet morphology with nanogap between folds and nanowidth between chains. The secondary interactions bestow thermoreversible property to PHUs, and they display good adhesion to both polar (Al–Al) and nonpolar (HDPE–HDPE) substrates. Hybrid PHUs show improved optical transparency compared to homo PHUs. The PHUs are thermally stable up to 250 °C.

Poly(ionic liquid)‐Based Hybrid Hierarchical Free‐Standing Electrolytes with Enhanced Ion Transport and Fire Retardancy Towards Long‐Cycle‐Life and Safe Lithium Batteries

AbstractIonic liquid electrolytes (ILEs), owing to their wide electrochemical window, high ionic conductivity, and low volatility, have been extensively applied in the field of energy storage devices. However, it is extremely significant and greatly challenging to seek the counterbalance of good mechanical properties and excellent electrochemical performances, including a high transference number of ILEs for safe flexible lithium batteries. In this work, a novel hybrid poly(ionic liquid)‐based quasi‐solid electrolyte containing silica nanoparticles (SiO2‐PIL‐QSE) is fabricated through the one‐step in situ polymerization of the ionic liquid covalently tethered to silica nanoparticles (SiO2‐IL‐TFSI), which fills a poly(vinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF‐HFP) porous membrane prepared through phase inversion. The hybrid hierarchical porous architecture endows the SiO2‐PIL‐QSE with excellent thermal stability, good fire safety (i. e. nonflammable and low shrinkage), improved mechanical strength, and excellent electrochemical performance, including a high room‐temperature ionic conductivity of 1.69 mS cm−1, a superior electrochemical window up to 5.5 V, as well as a high lithium‐ion transference of 0.46. Accordingly, the LiFePO4|SiO2‐PIL‐QSE|Li cell can maintain a discharge specific capacity of 133.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C at 25 °C with a capacity retention ratio of 91.9 % after 400 cycles. The excellent performances and good applicability in the pouch‐type battery of SiO2‐PIL‐QSE indicate a good prospect in the field of flexible solid‐state polymer batteries (SSPB).

Enhanced wettability and electrochemical performance of separators for lithium-ion batteries by coating core-shell structured silica-poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol) particles

The hydroxyl groups in inorganic-organic hybrid poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4-sulfonyldiphenol) (PZS) exhibits some reactivity toward lithium ions. In this work, the core-shell structured silica-poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol) nanoparticles (SiO2-PZS) are synthesized and the composite separator is prepared by coating on both sides of polyethylene (PE) microporous membrane. Compared to pure SiO2 coated separator and PE membrane, the PE-SiO2@PZS separator shows higher ionic conductivity. The corresponding discharge capacity at 8C rate reaches a value of 115 mA h g−1, compared to 105 mA h g−1 for PE membrane and 106 mA h g−1 for PE-SiO2 separator. The hydroxyl group and N、O atoms on the surface of PZS can coordinate with lithium ions to enhance the dissociation of lithium salt (LiPF6), thus improving the ionic conductivity and discharge capacity. Meanwhile the lower interfacial impedance resistance for PE-SiO2@PZS separator indicates intimate adhesion between electrode and separator. In a word, the SiO2-PZS nanoparticles are a promising filler for enhancing the wettability and electrochemical performance of Lithium-ion battery separator.