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Download fileSupported Ionic Liquid Gel Membrane Electrolytes for a Safe and Flexible Sodium Metal Battery
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posted on 2019-01-24, 00:00 authored by Tiago
C. Mendes, Xiaomin Zhang, Youting Wu, Patrick C. Howlett, Maria Forsyth, Douglas R. MacfarlaneConcerns about the sustainability
of lithium supplies has stimulated
interest in alternative energy storage chemistries including in sodium
metal and sodium ion batteries. Gel ionic liquid electrolytes are
investigated here as an important option for secondary sodium batteries
due to their leakage-free and superior safety when compared to standard
flammable electrolytes. Supported ionic liquid gel membranes (SILGMs)
were prepared as both electrolyte and separator for a sodium metal
battery using a carbon-coated sodium vanadium phosphate material (Na3V2(PO4)3@C or NVP@C) as cathode.
SILGM-based coin cells exhibit a specific capacity retention of 92%
after 150 charge–discharge cycles with a Coulombic efficiency
of 99.9%. We also demonstrate the operation of SILGMs in a laminated
flexible sodium battery. The SILGM-based flexible battery exhibits
a good flexibility and shows a remarkably stable operation even when
opening the device or cutting into pieces. It is expected that SILGMs
will become promising separator/electrolyte materials in practical
application and thus will promote the development of nonflammable
and flexible sodium batteries.