Electrolytes play a crucial role in batteries because they separate the anode and cathode terminals. At present, organic liquid electrolytes are widely used in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the use of organic liquid electrolytes presents significant safety risks, including leakage, flammability, and electrochemical instability. Therefore, there is a growing demand for sustainable and safe electrolytes.
Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have great potential to achieve this goal. Unlike liquid or solid electrolytes, GPEs consist of a solid polymer matrix that encapsulates or stores liquid electrolytes, exhibiting both the cohesive properties of a solid and the diffusive characteristics of a liquid. The solid polymer matrix provides adequate mechanical strength and shape flexibility, and the liquid component plays a significant role in increasing ionic conductivity and interfacial stability[1]. Commonly used polymer matrixes for GPEs include polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethylene oxide (PEO), poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP).
Preparation Methods
The common methods used for preparing GPEs include solution casting, phase inversion, and in situ polymerization. These methods have the advantages of being energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly compared to other preparation methods of GPEs. A schematic representation of various preparation methods for GPEs is shown in Figure 1[2].
Figure 1. Schematic representation of various preparation methods for GPEs.
Applications
- Portable and wearable electronics
Due to the processability of polymers, GPEs can render energy storage devices with adjustable shapes and high flexibility, which is promising for burgeoning portable and wearable electronics. In order to meet the requirements of wearable devices for flexibility and deformability, many special GPEs with tough, stretchable, and compressible functionalities have been developed.
- Electrochemical energy storage devices
The flexibility and elasticity of GPEs are prone to tolerating the volume change of electrode materials and lithium metal dendrites during charge and discharge processes. As a consequence, GPEs have become one of the most desirable alternatives among various electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage devices, and significant progress has been made in LIBs, supercapacitors (SCs), lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries as well as other kinds of electrochemical energy storage devices, such as sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, fuel cells, and zinc-air batteries[3].
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References
- Ren, W.; et al. Advanced gel polymer electrolytes for safe and durable lithium metal batteries: challenges, strategies, and perspectives. Energy Storage Materials. 2021, 34: 515-535.
- Aruchamy, K.; et al. Gel polymer electrolytes: advancing solid-state batteries for high-performance applications. Gels. 2023, 9(7), 585.
- Cheng, X.; et al. Gel polymer electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage. Advanced Energy Materials. 2018, 7(8): 1702184.
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