GUM-LIKE ELECTROLYTES AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

1 . A method of forming a gum-like electrolyte composition, the method comprising:

generating a wax emulsion;

adding at least one electrolyte to the wax emulsion to obtain an electrolytic wax emulsion;

adding a polymer solution to the electrolytic wax emulsion to obtain a mixture, wherein the polymer solution comprises a polymer and a solvent; and

removing the solvent from the mixture to obtain a gum-like electrolyte composition.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the wax emulsion comprises:

combining a wax with a surfactant; and

agitating the wax and the surfactant to obtain the wax emulsion.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the combining a wax with a surfactant comprises combining a wax selected from the group consisting of paraffin, paraffin wax, soy wax, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, montan wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, beeswax, polyethylene wax, and maleated hydrocarbons.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the combining a wax with a surfactant comprises combining a surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), a lithium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, a sucrose distearate, a sucrose monostearate, a phosphatidylethanolamine, a polyacrylic acid, a polyethylacetate, a dimethylacrylamide, an n-isopropylacrylamide, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a polyethyleneimine, sorbitan, an alkyl polyglycoside, a sorbitan ester, a methyl glucoside ester, an amine ethoxylate, a diamine ethoxylate, a polyglycerol ester, an alkyl ethoxylate, an alcohol that has been polypropoxylated, an alcohol that has been polyethoxylated, an arginine methyl ester, an alkanolamine, an alkylenediamide, an alkyl ester sulfonate, an alkyl ether sulfonate, an alkyl ether sulfate, an alkali metal alkyl sulfate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkylaryl sulfonate, a sulfosuccinate, an alkyl disulfonate, an alkylaryl disulfonate, an alkyl disulfate, an alcohol polypropoxylated sulfate, an alcohol polyethoxylated sulfate, a taurate, an amine oxide, an alkylamine oxide, an ethoxylated amide, an alkoxylated fatty acid, an alkoxylated alcohol, an ethoxylated fatty amine, an ethoxylated alkyl amine, a betaine, a modified betaine, an alkylamidobetaine, a quaternary ammonium compound, an alkyl propoxy-ethoxysulfonate, an alkyl propoxy-ethoxysulfate, an alkylaryl-propoxy-ethoxysulfonate, and any derivative thereof.

6 . (canceled)

7 . (canceled)

8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein agitating the wax and the surfactant comprises agitating via at least one of ultrasonication, high-pressure homogenization, and microfluidization.

9 .- 12 . (canceled)

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adding the at least one electrolyte comprises adding an electrolyte having at least one lithium salt.

14 . (canceled)

15 .- 27 . (canceled)

28 . A gum-like electrolyte composition comprising:

a malleable material comprising a mixture of:

at least one wax particle;

at least one electrolyte; and

a polymer matrix comprising at least one polymer,

wherein the wax particle and the electrolyte are dispersed in the polymer matrix.

29 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the at least one wax particle is at least substantially encased by the at least one electrolyte to form at least one core-shell particle.

30 .- 31 . (canceled)

32 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the at least one wax particle is selected from the group consisting of paraffin, paraffin wax, soy wax, polypropylene, polyethylene, montan wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, beeswax, polyethylene wax, and maleated hydrocarbons.

33 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the at least one wax particle comprises a surfactant.

34 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 33 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol), a lithium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, a sucrose distearate, a sucrose monostearate, a phosphatidylethanolamine, a polyacrylic acid, a polyethylacetate, a dimethylacrylamide, an n-isopropylacrylamide, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a polyethyleneimine, sorbitan, an alkyl polyglycoside, a sorbitan ester, a methyl glucoside ester, an amine ethoxylate, a diamine ethoxylate, a polyglycerol ester, an alkyl ethoxylate, an alcohol that has been polypropoxylated, an alcohol that has been polyethoxylated, an arginine methyl ester, an alkanolamine, an alkylenediamide, an alkyl ester sulfonate, an alkyl ether sulfonate, an alkyl ether sulfate, an alkali metal alkyl sulfate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkylaryl sulfonate, a sulfosuccinate, an alkyl disulfonate, an alkylaryl disulfonate, an alkyl disulfate, an alcohol polypropoxylated sulfate, an alcohol polyethoxylated sulfate, a taurate, an amine oxide, an alkylamine oxide, an ethoxylated amide, an alkoxylated fatty acid, an alkoxylated alcohol, an ethoxylated fatty amine, an ethoxylated alkyl amine, a betaine, a modified betaine, an alkylamidobetaine, a quaternary ammonium compound, an alkyl propoxy-ethoxysulfonate, an alkyl propoxy-ethoxysulfate, an alkylaryl-propoxy-ethoxysulfonate, and any derivative thereof.

35 . (canceled)

36 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyvinylidene difluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, and any derivative thereof.

37 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , further comprising at least one lithium salt.

38 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 37 , wherein the at least one lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of lithium perchlorate, lithium terafluoroborate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, and lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide.

39 .- 43 . (canceled)

44 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 42 , wherein the at least one lithium salt is selected from the group consisting of lithium perchlorate, lithium terafluoroborate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, and lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide.

45 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the electrolyte further comprises at least one sodium salt.

46 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 45 , wherein the at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium perchlorate, sodium sulphate and sodium nitrate.

47 .- 50 . (canceled)

51 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 28 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a combination of at least one lithium salt and at least one sodium salt.

52 .- 85 . (canceled)

86 . A gum-like electrolyte composition comprising:

a malleable material comprising a polymer matrix having dispersed therein a wax particle; an electrolyte; and a surfactant.

87 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 86 , wherein the wax particle is selected from the group consisting of paraffin, paraffin wax, soy wax, polypropylene, polyethylene, montan wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, beeswax, polyethylene wax, and maleated hydrocarbons.

88 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 86 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyvinylidene difluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, and any derivative thereof.

89 . The gum-like electrolyte composition of claim 86 , wherein the polymer matrix further comprises at least one lithium salt.

90 . A method of forming a gum-like electrolyte composition, the method comprising:

forming a wax emulsion by combining a wax and a surfactant under agitation;

adding an electrolyte to the wax emulsion to obtain an electrolytic wax emulsion;

adding a polymer solution to the electrolytic wax emulsion to obtain a mixture, wherein the polymer solution comprises a polymer and a solvent; and

removing the solvent from the mixture to obtain a gum-like electrolyte composition.

91 . The method of claim 90 , wherein forming the wax emulsion comprises agitating the wax and the surfactant by an agitation method selected from the group consisting of ultrasonication, high-pressure homogenization, and microfluidization.

92 . The method of claim 90 , wherein adding the electrolyte to the wax emulsion comprises adding an electrolyte having at least one lithium salt.