Nanoporous polymer electrolyte
A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0×10 −6 S/cm at 25° C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.
1. A method of making a polymer lithium electrolyte comprising:
a) synthesizing a polymerizable lithium salt surfactant by reacting an acid chloride and a salt precursor; and
b) crosslinking the polymerizable lithium salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte;
wherein the ionic conductivity of the nanoporous polymer electrolyte is equal or greater than 1.0×10 −6 S/cm.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable lithium salt surfactant has the formula:
[(X)R] n L(I) x M
where:
X is a polymerizable functional group;
R is a tail group;
n is an integer signifying the number of tail groups;
I is an ionic head group having a first charge;
x is an integer signifying the number of ionic head groups;
L is a linking moiety that connects the one or more tail groups to the ionic head group; and
M is an ionic group having a second charge,
wherein the second charge is opposite the first charge.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein M comprises a lithium cation.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the salt precursor comprises a sulfonate derivative selected from the group consisting of metanilate, sulfanilate, nitro aniline sulfonate, amino aniline sulfonate, methyl aniline sulfonate, or amino phenol sulfonate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid chloride comprises a benzoyl derivative.