Ionic liquid mediated nano-composite polymer gel electrolyte for rechargeable battery application

ABSTRACT

Nano-composite polymer gel electrolytes (NPGEs) based on polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) PVdF-HFP, ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3- methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide BMIMTFSI, Li-salt along with the addition of SiO₂ nanoparticles have been synthesized and characterized by various techniques. Prepared NPGEs show high room temperature ionic conductivity (~10⁻³ S/cm) and have a wide electrochemical window (ECW) (~3.3–3.5 V). The galvanostatic charge/discharge profile was studied by sandwiching best performing NPGEs between a LiFePO₄ cathode and lithium metal anode. The specific discharge capacity of the cell (Li/NPGE/LiFePO₄) room temperature at 0.1C rate is found to be 138 mAh/g.

KEYWORDS:

• Li-Battery
• Nano-composite polymer gel electrolyte membranes (NPGEs)
• Ionic Liquid
• Galvanostatic Charging and Discharging

Acknowledgments

RKS gratefully acknowledged financial support from BRNS-DAE, Mumbai DST and New Delhi, India to carry out this work. Shalu and YLV are grateful to SERB-NPDF, DST, India.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shalu Kataria

Shalu Kataria: She completed her M.Sc. degree from Delhi University, India. She received her Ph.D. degree in 2016 from the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. She is working in the field of polymer electrolytes and batteries.

Yogendra L. Verma

Yogendra L. Verma: Yogendra Lal Verma received his M.Sc. degree in Physics from V.B.S. Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, India in 2009. He received his Ph.D. degree from the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India in 2016. His current interest mainly focused on the development of ionogels and their application in electrochemical devices.

Himani Gupta

Himani Gupta: She completed her Master degree in 2014 from the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. She is working in the field of synthesis of polymer electrolytes and electrode material for the fabrication of lithium batteries.

Shishir K. Singh

Shishir K. Singh: He received his M.Sc. degree in 2013from the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. He is working in the field of synthesis of polymer electrolytes and electrode material for the fabrication of lithium batteries.

Nitin Srivastava

Nitin Srivastava: He completed his master degree from the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India in 2015. He is working in the field of synthesis of polymer electrolytes and high capacity electrode for lithium batteries.

Ravindra Dhar

Ravindra Dhar: Prof. Ravindra Dhar is a faculty member in the University of Allahabad, India. His research interest is in Physics, Displays, Liquid Crystals, Nano Materials and Solar Cells.

Rajendra Kumar Singh

Rajendra Kumar Singh: Prof. Rajendra Kumar Singh is a faculty member in the department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. His research interest is in the field of Ionic liquids, materials science,solid state ionics and ultrasonics.Recently, he is working in the field of lithium and sodium batteries.