POLYMER SOLID ELECTROLYTES FROM THE PEG-PMMA-LICF3SO3 SYSTEM

Highly conductive solid polymeric electrolytes based upon low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) and ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymers blended with up to 50% by volume of poly(methyl methacrylate) have been synthesized using LiCF3SO3 (25:1 ether oxygen to cation ratio). Room-temperature ionic conductivities were measured to be in the range 10(-4) to 10(-5) S/cm for poly(methyl methacrylate) concentrations up to 30% by volume. In some cases, the addition of the poly(methyl methacrylate) enhanced the conductivity. All of the electrolytes studied were either amorphous or crystallized below 0 degrees C. The variation of conductivity with temperature and polymer composition was measured and the results were analyzed in terms of effective medium theory and semiempirical considerations. Ionic transport is coupled to the structural relaxation of the polymer segments. At lower temperatures activated processes were required. Both charge carrier mobility and charge concentration were found to contribute to conduction. The effective medium theory quantitatively describes conductivities of amorphous heterogenous systems of limited miscibility (microphase separation) quite well. For miscible or partially crystalline systems other effects not incorporated in this theory play an important role, and conductivities are measured to be higher than theoretically predicted. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.