Solid Electrolytes for Rechargeable Batteries (164)

Advanced electric vehicles and consumer electronics will require high energy density, rechargeable, solid state lithium batteries. One of the primary components of lithium batteries is the solid electrolyte. Over the last 15 years, several laboratories around the world have made attempts to develop a practical solid polymer electrolyte. The most successful electrolyte is comprised of a polymer solvent complexed with a lithium salt. The electrolyte possesses marginal ionic conductivity, low lithium transport number, and poor lithium-electrolyte interfacial stability.

The University of Dayton Research Institute has developed a novel approach to formulate and develop solid electrolytes exhibiting high lithium ion conductivity, low lithium-electrolyte interfacial reactivity, and large lithium transport number. The electrolyte consists of two components (polymer and ceramic) synthesized using a proprietary process. The electrolyte possesses lithium ion conductivity of 10-3.5-10-4.5 S cm-1 in the 0-90°C temperature range. The variation in conductivity (one order of magnitude) in the temperature range is far superior to other polymer electrolytes (four to five orders of magnitude). The lithium transport number is high (>0.95) and lithium-electrolyte interfacial reactivity is minimal. The voltage stability and other electrochemical properties provide excellent results for its application in commercial rechargeable lithium batteries.

U.S. Patent No. 5,695,873 covering this technology issued December 9, 1997.

For more information, please contact the Office for Technology Partnerships at 937-229-3515.

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