TEMPO-Substituted Poly(ethylene sulfide) for Solid-State Electro-Chemical Charge Storage

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2021 Feb;42(4):e2000607. doi: 10.1002/marc.202000607. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Abstract

A poly(ethylene sulfide) backbone is introduced as the main chain of a radical polymer. Anionic ring-opening polymerization of an episulfide monomer substituted with 2,2,6,6tetramethylpiperidin1oxyl (TEMPO), a robust nitroxide radical, yields the corresponding polythioether. Compared to the traditional poly(ethylene oxide) backbone, the new polymer shows a lower glass transition temperature (-10 °C), and about threefold higher solid-state ionic conductivity. The polythioether is also shown to improve the charge/discharge properties of a cathode in solid-state lithium-ion batteries.

Keywords: anionic ring-opening polymerization; polythioethers; redox-active polymers; solid-state electrolytes.

MeSH terms

  • Cyclic N-Oxides
  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Lithium*
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Sulfides

Substances

  • Cyclic N-Oxides
  • Sulfides
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Lithium
  • ethylene sulfide
  • TEMPO