Crosslinkable Polyether Copolymer Electrolyte for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrolyte compositions for electrochemical devices are either liquid, prone to leakage and volatility, or solid, which are inflexible and susceptible to media such as organic solvents and water, lacking processability and shape-retaining properties.
Innovation Solution
A crosslinkable polyether copolymer composition comprising a polyether segment block with a cationic group and a hydrophobic polyether segment block, combined with a crosslinking agent, to create an electrolyte that is both processable and retains shape, maintaining ion conductivity and water resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid electrolytes comprising a solvent are used, then ion conductivity is achieved, but the liquid volume reduces with time due to solvent volatilization and liquid leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the electrolyte from liquid to solid gel form by incorporating a polyether copolymer matrix. This parameter change eliminates solvent volatilization and liquid leakage while maintaining ion conductivity through the gel structure that allows ion transport without free liquid flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite gel electrolyte system combining a polyether copolymer matrix with ionic liquid components. This composite structure provides both the mechanical integrity needed to prevent leakage and the ionic conductivity required for electrochemical device operation.
2Reliability
If solid electrolyte compositions are used, then liquid leakage during use is prevented, but they are inflexible in being applied to electrochemical devices and hard to coat on or impregnate into other materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a gel electrolyte with intermediate properties between solid and liquid states. The gel structure provides sufficient mechanical strength to prevent leakage while maintaining enough flexibility and processability to be coated on or impregnated into electrochemical device components, bridging the gap between solid and liquid electrolytes.
3Reliability
If solid electrolyte compositions with random structures are used, then liquid leakage is prevented, but they are easily affected by media such as organic solvents or water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a block copolymer structure with distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments. The hydrophobic segments provide resistance to organic solvents and water, while the hydrophilic segments maintain ion conductivity. This local differentiation of properties within the polymer structure simultaneously addresses both requirements.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a polyether copolymer with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments is used, then resistance to organic solvents and water is achieved, but processability and shape-retaining properties after processing are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates crosslinkable groups into the polyether copolymer structure in advance. These groups enable subsequent crosslinking reactions that form a three-dimensional network, providing the shape-retaining properties needed after processing while maintaining the hydrophobic-hydrophilic segment structure for chemical resistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides an electrolyte with superior ion conductivity, water resistance, and shape-retaining properties, enabling effective coating and impregnation into other materials while preventing leakage and swelling.
Implementation Method 1
a polyether segment block containing a cationic group... exhibits superior processability... superior ion conductivity
Implementation Method 2
a crosslinkable polyether copolymer composition comprising the polyether copolymer and a crosslinking agent for the crosslinkable group... obtained by crosslinking the crosslinkable polyether copolymer composition
Implementation Method 3
a hydrophobic polyether segment block... water resistance... resistance to organic solvents, water, etc.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a material which exhibits excellent ion conductivity and excellent processability and which can provide an electrolyte that exhibits excellent water-resistant shape retention properties after processing. [Solution] A polyether copolymer having polyether segment blocks having cationic groups and hydrophobic polyether segment blocks. The polyether segments having cationic groups preferably have oxirane monomer units represented by general formula (1). The polyether copolymer may have oxirane monomer units having crosslinkable groups. An electrolyte is obtained by crosslinking a composition containing the polyether copolymer and a crosslinking agent. (In general formula (1), A+ denotes a cationic group having an onium cation structure having a cationic nitrogen atom, and X- denotes an anion)