Electrochemical synthesis of conformal, thin and dense ionomer separators for energy storage and conversion devices  

¹Aix Marseille Univ (AMU), CNRS, MADIREL (UMR 7246), site St Jérôme, 13397 Marseille, France

²University of Rome Tor Vergata (URoma2), Dep. Industrial Engineering, 00133 Roma, Italy

³International Associated Laboratory (L.I.A.): Ionomer Materials for Energy (AMU, URoma2, CNRS), France and Italy

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2018, 9 (12), pp 855-860

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2018.2116

Publication Date (Web): Sep 14, 2018

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: philippe.knauth@univ-amu.fr

Abstract

Electrochemical synthesis is a powerful tool for the preparation of conformal, thin solid electrolytes directly on the electrodes, particularly with complex shapes, such as nanostructured electrodes. Such separators should present the highest possible single ion conductivity, negligible electronic conductivity combined with high chemical and mechanical stability. These requirements drive our development work: we synthesize polymers with excellent mechanical properties, which are decisive for a high durability of the separators. The single-ion conductivity is assured by anchoring the counter-ions on the polymer backbone. The solid polymer electrolytes contain no flammable solvent guaranteeing high safety. For cation-conducting membranes, we synthesized polymers with sulfonate groups grafted on the macromolecular chain. These ionomers, including poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) can be used for proton exchange membrane fuel cells and Li batteries. Anion-conducting membranes contain quaternary ammonium as fixed cationic groups; they can be applied for example in hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells. The paper presents the electrochemical synthesis procedures and the relevant structural, microstructural and electrical properties of cation- and anion-conducting polymers, including relevant data of applications, such as Li microbattery cycling. 

Keywords

Polymer electrolytes, cation exchange membranes, anion exchange membranes, Li microbatteries, fuel cells.