Lithium ion batteries

1. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein the ion exchange polymer material is one polymerized monomer, and the one monomer is selected from the group consisting of:

and isomers thereof.

2. The lithium ion battery as defined in claim 1 wherein the ion exchange polymer material is cross-linked with a cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of

or isomers thereof, and

or isomers thereof.

3. The lithium ion battery as defined in claim 1 wherein the ion exchange polymer material is deposited onto the surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode.

4. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein the ion exchange polymer material is

 and wherein X is selected from the group consisting of:

and isomers thereof; and wherein the is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyetheretherketones, polyethersulfones, polyimides, polyamide-imides, polyethers, polyoxymethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthenate, polybutene, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymers, polystyrene copolymers, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polysiloxane polymers, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polyphenylenes, polyarylene ether ketones, polyperfluorocyclobutanes, polytetrafluoroethylene, liquid crystalline polymers, polyaramides, polyphenylene oxide, and combinations thereof.

5. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein the ion exchange polymer material is one polymerized monomer; the one monomer is

 and X is selected from the group consisting of:

and isomers thereof.

6. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein a precursor to the ion exchange polymer material is

 reacted with a hydroxy-substituted cryptand so the hydroxy-substituted cryptand replaces the Cl group and becomes a pendant group of the ion exchange polymer material, the hydroxy-substituted cryptand being selected from the group consisting of:

and isomers thereof.

7. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein the ion exchange polymer material is i) a functionalized bead, or ii) a polymerized monomer reacted with any of:

8. The lithium ion battery as defined in claim 7 wherein the polymerized monomer is vinylbenzyl chloride.

9. A lithium ion battery, comprising:

a positive electrode;

a negative electrode;

a microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the microporous polymer separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an ion exchange polymer material any of i) incorporated as a binder in any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, ii) deposited onto a surface of any of the positive electrode or the negative electrode, iii) incorporated into the microporous polymer separator, or iv) deposited onto a surface of the microporous polymer separator;

wherein the ion exchange polymer material is

 and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of:

and isomers thereof.

10. A method of forming an ion exchange polymer material, comprising:

forming a crown ether or a cryptand, the crown ether or the cryptand having one of an OH group or an NH group;

any of:

i) forming a polymer bead by emulsion polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene; and then

functionalizing the polymer bead to attach a functional group selected from the group consisting of a halogen and an organic molecule including a halogen; or

ii) forming a polymer bead and functionalizing the polymer bead in a single step, the forming and the functionalizing being accomplished by polymerizing styrene, divinylbenzene, and vinylbenzyl chloride to form the polymer bead having a functional group of CH 2 Cl attached thereto; or

iii) forming a polymer bead and functionalizing the polymer bead in a single step, the forming and the functionalizing being accomplished by polymerizing divinylbenzene and vinylbenzyl chloride to form the polymer bead having a functional group of CH 2 Cl attached thereto; and

replacing the functional group attached to the polymer bead with the crown ether or the cryptand, thereby forming the ion exchange polymer material having a pendant crown ether or a pendant cryptand.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the crown ether is

or the cryptand is