Improved performance of polyvinylidenefluoride–hexafluoropropylene based nanocomposite polymer membranes containing lithium bis(oxalato)borate by phase inversion for lithium batteries

Nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared by phase inversion technique in polyvinylidenefluoride–hexafluoropropylene (PVdF–HFP) matrix. These membranes were gelled with 0.5 M LiBOB in EC:DEC (1:1 v/v). These gel polymer membranes (GPMs) were incorporated with nanoparticles of AlO(OH)n and prepared composite polymer membranes (CPMs) also. The a.c. impedance analysis shows that AlO(OH)n filled membrane exhibits conductivity of 1.82 × 10−3 S cm−1 at ambient temperature. The Li/CPM/LiFePO4 cell delivered a specific discharge capacity of 158 and 147 mAh g−1 at first and at 20th cycle respectively discharged at C/20 rate. The cell experiences a capacity fade of 0.1 mAh g−1 cycle−1 over the investigated 20 cycles. The studies vindicate that AlO(OH)n filled PVdF–HFP polymer membranes could be the potential material to use as separator cum electrolyte in lithium batteries in conjunction with LiFePO4 as a counterpart.

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