<i>Understanding ion transport in polymeric electrolytes via X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy</i>

POSTER

Abstract

Polymer battery electrolytes are a safe alternative to flammable liquid organic electrolytes; however, they suffer from low ionic conductivity and key questions remain regarding the ion transport mechanisms across multiple length-scales. To better understand this transport and to obtain insights that may lead to better electrolytes, we measured the length-scale-dependent structural dynamics of polymer diffusion related ion transport in LiTFSI (Li bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide)/PEO (poly(ethylene oxide)) using small angle X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). Arrhenius relationships of the obtained decorrelation times with respect to temperature closely match the Arrhenius value for ionic conductivity reported in literature [1]. This indicates a close connection between polymer self-diffusion and ion conductivity in such materials. We also present recent results on operando experiments, in which we track, under external bias, the motion of the ion front through the polymer matrix and are able to measure the ions’ velocity via heterodyne mixing.

[1] Gorecki et al., Phys.: Condens. Matter 1995, 7, 6823.

*This work was partly supported by the DOE, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, contract DE-AC02-76SF00515.

Presenters

  • Michael Toney

    • SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Lab
    • SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab
    • Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Laboratory
    • SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
    • SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Authors

  • Hans-Georg Steinrueck

    • Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Laboratory

  • Christopher Takacs

    • Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Laboratory

  • David Mackanic

    • Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

  • Ben Holladay

    • Physics, University of California–San Diego

  • Suresh Narayanan

    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Lab
    • Advanced Photon Source , Argonne National Laboratory
    • APS, Argonne National Lab
    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Federico Zontone

    • ESRF

  • Beatrice Ruta

    • ESRF

  • Yuriy Chushkin

    • ESRF

  • Zhenan Bao

    • Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

  • Sunil Sinha

    • Physics, University of California–San Diego

  • Michael Toney

    • SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Lab
    • SLAC - Natl Accelerator Lab
    • Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Laboratory
    • SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
    • SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory