Synthesis and characterization of solid electrolytes based on vitrimer-like ionically-conducting polymers

The discovery of highly conductive Li-ion solid electrolytes had a lot of advantageous consequences. Thus, all-solid-state Li-ion batteries have become a promising route towards improved safety and higher energy density compared to today’s Li-ion batteries comprising liquid electrolytes. Nevertheless, limited Li-ion charge transport over the solid-solid electrode-electrolyte interface remains to be a great challenge towards high-performance all-solid-state batteries. The following project proposes a novel solid polymer electrolyte design that may help to tackle the existing problems. The concept behind the development is in using the cohesive and deformable properties of dynamic covalent polymeric network driven by disulfide metathesis reactions at room temperature. This will be used to maintain the electrolyte-electrode contact interfaces improving the movement ability of the polymer network, thereby enhancing the ionic conductivity of the solid polymer electrolyte. As well as lowering the interface impedance and blocking the Li-metal dendrite penetration. This opens up the possibility to safely apply Li-metal as a high-capacity anode, which in combination with a high Li-ion conductivity provides a strategy towards high-performance all-solid-state batteries.