A solid polymer electrolyte for aluminum ion conduction

• Main Authors: Tianyi Yao, Francielli S. Genier, Saeid Biria, Ian D. Hosein
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-09-01
• Series: Results in Physics
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211379718313743

We report on the synthesis and characterization of a solid polymer electrolyte for aluminum ion conduction. The solid polymer electrolyte is produced via the copolymerization of a low molecular weight polytetrahydrofuran and a cycloaliphatic epoxy. The crosslinked copolymer is swollen in THF solutions of different concentrations of aluminum nitrate as the aluminum ion source. The conductivity as a function of concentration is measured via AC impedance spectroscopy over a temperature range of 20–110 °C. We attain conductivities that increase with salt loading, reaching a value of 2.86 × 10−5 S·cm−1. Thermogravimetric analysis shows the electrolytes are stable up to 150 °C. Raman spectroscopy reveals complete dissociation of the aluminum nitrate salt in the electrolyte over the concentration range explored. This study establishes a polymer system and synthetic route towards solid polymer electrolytes for aluminum ion conduction, for the development of all solid-state aluminum ion batteries. Keywords: Polymers, Electrolyte, Aluminum, Ion conduction