Solid State Integrated Electrode/Electrolyte System
AssigneeNortheastern University
InventorsSanghyun HONG, Yung Joon JUNG, Rodrigo Lasserote LAVALL, Hyehee KIM, Ahmed BUSNAINA
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Abstract
An electrode-electrolyte system for use in batteries and supercapacitors allows enhanced access of ions and electrons from the electrolyte to the electrode. The electrode includes an electrically conductive substrate, a nanostructured active material layer deposited on the substrate, and a porous membrane coating the nanostructured active material. The porous membrane is flexible and made of a polymer network and a conductive additive.
Claims28
A solid-state electrolyte comprising a porous polymer network containing a conductive additive selected from the group consisting of an acid, a salt dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, and an ionic liquid.
A method of making an electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing (1) an electrode comprising a surface coated with a nanostructured active material, (2) a polymer solution, and (3) a conductive additive;
- (b) coating the nanostructured material with the polymer solution;
- (c) performing one or more freeze/thaw cycles on the product of step (b), whereby the polymer solution forms a hydrogel;
- (d) dehydrating the hydrogel, leaving a porous polymer membrane surrounding components of the nanostructured material;
- (e) soaking the porous polymer membrane in a solution comprising the conductive additive, whereby the conductive additive becomes incorporated into pores of the porous polymer membrane, and;
- (f) drying the porous polymer membrane to obtain the electrode.
A method of making an electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing (1) an electrode comprising a surface coated with a nanostructured active material and (2) a solution containing a polymer and a conductive additive;
- (b) coating the nanostructured material with the solution;
- (c) performing one or more freeze/thaw cycles on the product of step (b), whereby the solution forms a hydrogel;
- and
- (d) dehydrating the hydrogel, leaving a porous polymer membrane and the conductive additive surrounding components of the nanostructured material, whereby the electrode is obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.