Join us on April 1 at 3:30 p.m. for this Sustainable Energy Seminar presentation by Whitney Loo, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Abstract

While the recent advances in Li-ion batteries have led to the dramatic growth in electrification of mobile technologies, the next generation of rechargeable batteries will require significantly higher energy densities. Polymer electrolytes have been widely studied as replacements for currently used liquid electrolytes in next-generation lithium metal batteries. Polymer electrolytes are comprised of mixtures of polymers and salt molecules that can form stable interfaces with Li metal to enable “all solid” batteries with significantly higher energy densities than the Li-ion batteries used today. However, their widescale adoption is limited by their decreased ion transport properties when compared to liquids and inherent safety concerns with Li-metal anodes. In this presentation, we will discuss the basics of polymer electrolytes and present the most important questions that researchers are currently working to answer. We will also highlight two promising applications of polymer electrolytes to demonstrate how they are an advantageous replacement for liquid electrolytes.