High Energy-Density Polymer Electrolytes for Batteries and Energy Storage

Background: A novel composition for a non-volatile polymer electrolyte that is applicable in batteries. At room temperature and without additives it has conductivities orders of magnitude higher than the standard polymer electrolyte PEO. As our energy economy begins to rely on renewable but more intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind high energy density storage will become increasingly important. Polymer electrolytes hold promise for the development of higher energy density lithium-ion batteries. The current standard uses polyethylene oxide (PEO) containing block polymers which have good electrode separation but poor conductivity at room temperature. Ion solvent additives raise the conductivity at room temperature but decrease the integrity of the electrode separation and thus decrease the attainable energy density. Therefore there is a need for battery materials that allow for operation at room temperature and high energy densities. Technology Description: Researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara have developed a novel composition for a non-volatile polymer electrolyte that is applicable in batteries. At room temperature and without additives it has conductivities orders of magnitude higher than the standard polymer electrolyte PEO. This allows for an additive-free and thus less complex design that operates at room temperature or below. In addition the non-volatile polymer electrolyte may be incorporated in a solid material. Applications: 1) Batteries 2) Energy storage Devices Patent Status: US20120326073