Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylonitrile-methoxy polyethylene glycol (350) monoacrylate-lithium acrylate)

The ternary copolymer of acrylonitrile (AN), methoxy polyethylene glycol (350) monoacrylate (MPGA), and lithium acrylate (LiAc) which can be used as gel electrolyte for lithium ion batteries was prepared by radical emulsion polymerization. This improved the solubility of poly(acrylonitrile-methoxy polyethylene glycol (350) monoacrylate), and meanwhile, decreased the contraction of the membrane made from the polymer. The solubility of the ternary copolymer and the contraction of the prepared microporous membrane by phase-inversion methods were improved by way of copolymerization. Several products were characterized by infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte membrane at ambient temperature was tested by AC impedance. The results showed that the as-prepared gel copolymer electrolyte microporous membranes had higher ionic conductivity and were promising materials for lithium ion batteries.