Understanding Ionic Transport in Polymer Electrolytes and Their Interfaces Through Direct Operando Measurements
Solid-state batteries are widely recognized as a central component of the global energy transition, addressing the growing demand for safer, higher-energy-density, and more sustainable energy-storage solutions for electric mobility and the integration of renewable energy sources. By replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials, they offer the potential to enhance safety, extend operational lifetime, and enable the use of next-generation high-capacity electrodes. Among the various solid-state battery technologies, polymer-electrolyte-based systems are particularly attractive owing to their mechanical flexibility, lightweight nature, ease of processing, and ability to establish stable electrode interfaces. Compared with liquid electrolytes and inorganic solid-state electrolytes, polymer electrolytes offer significant benefits in terms of safety, manufacturability, and mechanical compliance. Nevertheless, their electrochemical performance is frequently constrained by limited ion mobility and substantial interfacial resistance at polymer–polymer and polymer–inorganic interfaces. This project aims to address these challenges by elucidating the fundamental mechanisms that control ion transport in next-generation polymer electrolytes, such as multilayer polymer electrolytes (MLPEs) and hybrid polymer electrolytes. A central element of the project is the development of advanced operando visualization methods for real-time monitoring of ion transport. These techniques will offer unprecedented insight into interfacial transport processes and enable the rational design of high-performance polymer electrolytes for solid-state batteries. |
LIST will play a pivotal role in the UTOPIA project by advancing the AINA group’s focused ion beam–secondary ion mass spectrometry (FIB-SIMS) platforms to enable operando nano-characterization with in-situ temperature control. This capability will be used to investigate the mechanisms governing ion transport at polymer–polymer and polymer–inorganic interfaces in solid-state batteries via SIMS based isotope mapping. The findings will facilitate the development of universal design principles for multilayer polymer electrolytes and hybrid polymer electrolytes by establishing relationships between polymer miscibility, solubility parameters, hydrogen-bonding interactions, and cation-solvation dynamics.
By combining advanced operando FIB-SIMS imaging with systematic materials design, the UTOPIA project will deliver fundamental mechanistic insight into ionic mobility at interfaces—an area that is currently largely understood through indirect measurements and empirical observations. The project will establish universal design principles for polymer electrolytes, applicable across a broad range of metal-ion battery systems, e.g., Li, Na, and Zn-ion batteries. Beyond advancing battery science, these findings will support progress in related fields such as iontronics, solid-state electrochemistry, and polymer physics. |
