Converting Nafion into Li+ -Conductive Nanoporous Materials.

Sulfonated polymers have long been used as proton-conducting materials in fuel cells, and their ionic transport features are highly attractive for electrolytes in lithium-ion/metal batteries (LIBs/LMBs). However, most studies are still based on a preconceived notion of using them directly as polymeric ionic carriers, which precludes exploring them as nanoporous media to construct efficient lithium ions (Li+ ) transport network. Here, effective Li+ -conducting channels realized by swelling nanofibrous Nafion is demonstrated, which is a classical sulfonated polymer in fuel cells. The sulfonic acid groups, interact with LIBs liquid electrolytes to form porous ionic matrix of Nafion and assist partial desolvation of Li+ -solvates to further enhance Li+ transport. Li-symmetric cells and Li-metal full cells (Li4 Ti5 O12 or high-voltage LiNi0.6 Co0.2 Mn0.2 O2 as a cathode) with such membrane show excellent cycling performance and stabilized Li-metal anode. The finding provides a strategy to convert the vast sulfonated polymer family into efficient Li+ electrolyte, promoting the development of high-energy-density LMBs. © 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Citation

Weitao Gao, Li Sheng, Jia Chen, Fan Gong, Zhuozhuo Tang, Qinan Yin, Kai Yang, Ziqiang Tu, Yang Li, Li Wang, Jianlong Wang, Yaping Tang, Hong Xu, Cheng Wang, Xiangming He. Converting Nafion into Li+ -Conductive Nanoporous Materials. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). 2023 Sep;19(37):e2300697

PMID: 37144437

search → result