Claims
- 1. A solvent-free polymer electrolyte containing a sterically hindered phenol metal ion salt.
- 2. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the sterically hindered phenol is a 2,6-substituted phenol.
- 3. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 2, wherein the sterically hindered phenol is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-alkyl substituted phenols and 2,6-alkoxy substituted phenols.
- 4. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 3, wherein the sterically hindered phenol is 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methoxy phenol.
- 5. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 3, wherein the sterically hindered phenol is 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-vinyl phenol.
- 6. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 2, wherein the sterically hindered phenol is 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-isocyanato phenol.
- 7. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a structure having an oligo(oxyalkylene) segment therein.
- 8. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 7, wherein said structure also has a siloxane segment therein.
- 9. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 8, wherein the polymer comprises a siloxane-ethylene oxide copolymer.
- 10. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 9, wherein the sterically hindered phenol comprises 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-vinyl phenol.
- 11. The solvent-free polymer electrolyte of claim 1, wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium.
- 12. A process for making a solvent-free polymer electrolyte, comprising the steps of:
- reacting a sterically hindered phenol with an oligo(oxyalkylene)-containing polymer; and
- neutralizing the phenol OH of the resulting polymer with a metal ion compound.
- 13. The process of claim 12, wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium.
- 14. The process of claim 12, wherein the metal ion compound is an alkoxide of lithium, sodium or potassium.
- 15. A process of making a solvent-free polymer electrolyte, comprising the steps of:
- reacting a sterically hindered phenol with a polymer precursor which can be polymerized to form a flexible polymeric backbone;
- further reacting the resulting product with an oligo (oxyalkylene)-containing compound to form a polymeric product having phenolic OH groups; and
- neutralizing the phenol OH groups of the polymeric product with a metal ion compound.
- 16. The process of claim 15, wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium.
- 17. The process of claim 15, wherein the metal ion compound is an alkoxide of lithium, sodium or potassium.
- 18. A process for preparing a solvent-free ion conducting polymer, which comprises:
- reacting in the presence of a solvent a polymer having a glass transition temperature range of about -50.degree. C. to -150.degree. C., and a hindered phenol having the Formula I or II ##STR3## wherein each R.sup.1, independently, is selected from i-propyl, t-butyl, t-pentyl, methoxy, ethoxy and propoxy, and R.sup.2 is selected from hydroxy, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, vinyl, hydroxyalkylene and isocyanato; PG,20
- neutralizing the phenolic OH's of the resulting polymer with an alkali metal alkoxide selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium alkoxide; and
- removing any residual solvent from the resulting neutralized polymer.
- 19. A process for preparing a solvent-free polymer electrolyte, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating polymethylhydrosilane and 2,6-di-t-butyl 4-vinylphenol in the presence of a solvent, to a temperature in the range from about 40.degree. to about 70.degree. C.;
- (b) cooling the mixture obtained in step (a), to a temperature in the range of about 0.degree. C. to about room temperature;
- (c) adding .omega.-allyl methoxy hepta (oxyethylene) to the cooled mixture obtained in step (b);
- (d) heating the mixture obtained in step (c) to a temperature in the range from about 40.degree. to about 70.degree. C. to obtain a polymer product having phenolic OH groups attached thereto;
- (e) neutralizing the phenolic OH groups of the polymer product obtained in step (d) with sodium t-butoxide;
- (f) removing the solvent and t-butyl alcohol formed in the neutralizing step (e); and
- (g) completely drying the resulting polymer.
- 20. A high energy density battery containing the solvent-free polymer electrolyte as set forth in claim 1.
- 21. A high energy density battery containing the solvent-free polymer electrolyte as set forth in claim 7.
- 22. A high energy density battery containing the solvent-free polymer electrolyte as set forth in claim 19.
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under contract number DE-AC02-76CH00016, awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Associated Universities, Inc. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (5)