Design of robust and versatile hydrocarbon-based single-ion-conducting polymer electrolytes

Uddin, Ain; Lehmann, Michelle L.; Agarwal, Tanya; Park, Heemin; Gainaru, Catalin; He, Lilin; Sokolov, Alexei P.; Kim, Yu Seung; Saito, Tomonori

doi:10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102712

Title: Design of robust and versatile hydrocarbon-based single-ion-conducting polymer electrolytes

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 20:00:00 EDT 2025 · Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102712 · OSTI ID:2575314

Uddin, Ain ^[1];

^[1];

^[2]; Park, Heemin ^[2]; Gainaru, Catalin ^[1];

^[1];

^[2];

^[1]

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Hydrocarbon-based polymers offer several advantages, including lower environmental impacts, cost effectiveness, and the ability to finely tune properties. Here, we have developed trifluoromethanesulfonimide (TFSI)-functionalized poly(norbornene) (PNB) polymers utilizing a specifically designed oxa-Michael addition of a vinyl TFSI anion to an alcohol. Our results reveal that PNB-TFSI derivatives exhibit superior thermal stability and mechanical robustness compared with Nafion. The optimized PNB-TFSI-H-48 polymer (IEC 1.86 mmol/g) exhibits equivalent performance to Nafion as an anode ionomer in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Exchanging the counter ion to Li⁺ enables PNB-TFSI to be used for Li-ion battery applications. Propylene carbonate plasticized PNB-TFSI derivatives achieve an Li-ion conductivity of over 10⁻⁵ S/cm at 30°C. This Li polymer electrolyte exhibits excellent electrochemical stability (5 V vs. Li⁺/Li) and good cycling in a Li symmetric cell. These results highlight the potential and rational design of PNB-TFSI polymers for next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 2575314

Journal Information:: Cell Reports Physical Science, Journal Name: Cell Reports Physical Science Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 6; ISSN 2666-3864

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
TFSI
fuel cell
hydrocarbon
ion conductivity
membranes
polymer electrolytes
single-ion conductor

Title: Design of robust and versatile hydrocarbon-based single-ion-conducting polymer electrolytes

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