Self organizing battery structure method
An electrochemical device includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector, a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector and a crosslinked solid polymer in contact with the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a network of electrically connected particles comprising an electroactive material, and the particles of one electrode exert a repelling force on the other electrode when the first and second electrodes are combined with an uncrosslinked precursor to the solid polymer.
1. A method of preparing an electronic device comprising:
combining a plurality of first particles, a plurality of second particles and a crosslinkable polymer precursor to a solid polymer electrolyte, said first and second particles selected to exert a repelling force on each other when combined with said crosslinkable polymer precursor; wherein the first particles have a refractive index n 1 , the second particles have a refractive index n 3 , the polymer precursor has a refractive index n 2 , and n 1 <n 2 <n 3 ;
segregating at least a portion of the first particles into a first spatial region that is essentially free of the second particles to form a network of electrically connected first particles to form a first electrode;
segregating at least a portion of the second particles into a second spatial region that is essentially free of the first particles to form a network of electrically connected second particles to form a second electrode,
wherein the polymer precursor is in communication with both the first and second electrodes; and
crosslinking the polymer precursor to form a solid polymer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is selected from the group consisting of methacrylate and acrylate of polyethylene glycol.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor comprises a crosslinkable poly(oxymethylene), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), their mixtures, or their copolymers.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor comprises a hydroxy-terminated poly(ethylene glycol).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable with polyisocyanates, polyphenolics, melamine or melamine formaldehyde condensates.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is vinyl terminated.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 10000 cP.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 1000 cP.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor has a viscosity in the range of about 10 to 100 cP.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one component of the first electrode is present at a % wt. solids in the range of about 10-80.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one component of the second electrode is present at a % wt. solids in the range of about 10-80.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of a crosslinking agent.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of heat.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer precursor is crosslinkable upon application of visible or uv energy, x-ray, e-beam or gamma ray.
15. A method of preparing an electrochemical device comprising:
applying a composition comprising a plurality of first particles and a crosslinkable polymer precursor to a solid polymer onto a first electrode surface, said first particles selected to exert a repelling force against the first electrode surface when combined with said polymer precursor;
segregating at least a portion of the first particles into a first spatial region that is essentially isolated from the first electrode surface to form a second electrode;
wherein the polymer precursor is in communication with both the first and second electrodes; and
crosslinking the polymer precursor to form a solid polymer; and wherein the first particles have a refractive index n 1 , the first electrode surface has a refractive index n 3 , the polymer precursor has a refractive index n 2 , and n 1 <n 2 <n 3 or n 1 >n 2 >n 3 .