Conductive polymers for long cycle-life lithium and beyond lithium ion batteries

International Conference and Exhibition on Polymer Chemistry

November 14-16, 2016 Atlanta, USA

Younes Ansari

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Material Sci Eng

Abstract :

Polymers of high electronic or ionic conductivity have become an indispensable part of rechargeable batteries. Electron conductive polymers are mostly used as the stabilizing/encapsulating materials in the cathode, e.g., polymer encapsulated sulfur nanocomposites and the anode, e.g., nano-encapsulation of graphite-based anodes, where the highest electronic conductivity is favorable. Unlike electron conductive polymers, polymers of pure ionic conductivity are used as separators/electrolytes in lithium batteries to allow the fast transfer of lithium ions through the separating layer since an electronic conduction through the electrolyte creates an internal short-circuit current between the two electrodes. Here a recent study of the application of an electron conductive polymer composite for long cycle-life lithium-sulfur batteries and a mechanically robust dendrite-blocking lithium ion conductive polymer electrolyte for long cycle-life lithium ion battery will be presented. It will be shown that by simply encapsulating the sulfur nanoparticles with a high electron conductive polymer a significant improvement in the performance of the battery can be observed. The improvement is due to the successful entrapment of soluble polysulfides during charge and discharge process (minimization in shuttling effect) along with the enhancement in the electronic conductivity among sulfur nano-particles. It also will be shown that by using a polymer-composite of high ionic conductivity and high mechanical stability, the internal short-circuit, due to the formation and growth of lithium dendrite can be prevented.

Biography :

Email: yansari@mit.edu