Flexible Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Nitrile Butadiene Rubber/Poly(ethylene oxide) Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Containing Either LiTFSI or EMITFSI

• Published in: Macromolecules Vol. 44; no. 24; pp. 9683 - 9691
• Main Authors: Goujon, Laurent J., Khaldi, Alexandre, Maziz, Ali, Plesse, Cédric, Nguyen, Giao T. M., Aubert, Pierre-Henri, Vidal, Frédéric, Chevrot, Claude, Teyssié, Dominique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 27.12.2011
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical reactions and properties; Chemical Sciences; Crosslinking, vulcanization; Electric power; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Material chemistry; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers; Imidazole derivatives; Temperature effect; Polymer solid electrolyte; Molecular relaxation; Interpenetrating polymer network; Ionic liquid; Macromer; Ethylene oxide polymer; Microheterogeneity; Electrical properties; Iminium compounds; Ionic conductivity; Mechanical properties; Crosslinking; Nitrile rubber; Ethylene oxide copolymer; Experimental study; Morphology; Preparation; Concentration effect; Lithium compound; Prepolymer; Methacrylate copolymer; Radical copolymerization; Successive reaction
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/ma201662h

The synthesis and characterization of flexible solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) are discussed. IPNs were prepared from nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) using a two-step process. The NBR network was obtained by dicumyl peroxide cross-linking at high temperature and pressure. A free radical copolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate and dimethacrylate led to the formation of the PEO network within the NBR network. Polymerization kinetics were followed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) for the NBR network and by Fourier transform spectroscopy in the near- and mid-infrared for the PEO network. IPN mechanical properties, examined using DMA and tensile strength tests, reveal an IPN elongation with a breaking point of 110%. IPN conductivities reach 7.4 × 10–7 S cm–1 at 30 °C when doped with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). Moreover, IPNs exhibit an ionic conductivity as high as 0.7 × 10–3 S cm–1 at 30 °C when swollen in N-ethylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ionic liquid (EMITFSI).