Effect of chemically modified silicas on the properties of hybrid gel electrolyte for Li-ion batteries

The aim of the presented work was to perform a preliminary study the physico-chemical properties of hybrid organic–inorganic gel electrolytes for Li-ion batteries based on the PVdF–HFP polymeric matrix and surface modified fumed silicas. Modifications were done by means of the so-called dry method using seven different silanes differing in the nature of the principal functional group: N-2-(aminoethyl)-3-amino propyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimetoxysilane, 3-mercaptopropyltrimetoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, 3-(chloropropyl)trimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimetoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane. The PVdF–HFP gels were prepared according to the so-called Bellcore process (two-step method). Impact of the silicas surface functionality on the degree of crystallinity of the polymeric membranes was studied using the differential scanning calorimetry technique. Applicability of the prepared gel electrolytes for the Li-ion technology was estimated on the basis of specific conductivity measurements. It was shown that modification of the silica surface by most of the silanes causes an increase in the gel specific conductivity by about two orders of magnitude as compared to gel with unmodified silica.