Composite Polymer Electrolytes Based on Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles for Lithium Metal Batteries

[en] Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) formed of non-ionically conducting inorganic fillers, such as SiO2 nanoparticles, dispersed in a polymer matrix, are considered as promising candidates for solid-state lithium metal batteries. By decreasing the crystallinity and lowering the Tg of the polymer matrix, and inducing Lewis acid-base interactions with lithium salts, inorganic fillers are reported for increasing ion transport in CPEs. Here, we disclose two types of composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs). The first CPE is a blend comprising lithium salt-loaded poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as polymer matrix, bio-based carbonated soybean oil (CSBO) as additive, and SiO2 nanoparticles as inorganic component. The second CPE is a lithium salt-loaded poly(hydroxyurethane) network prepared from α,ω-diamino PEO and CSBO cross-linker as polymer matrix entrapping SiO2 nanoparticles. For both CPEs, the combined effect of the polymer component and SiO2 facilitates the formation of electrolyte membranes with good flexibility and conductivity in the range of 10−5 S cm−1 at 60°C. Moreover, the addition of inorganic fillers broadens oxidative potential limitations to > 4.8 and 4.4 V versus Li/Li+ for CPEs based on linear PEO and PHU network polymers, respectively. Finally, the PEO-CSBO-SiO2-based LFP-Li cell delivers an interesting initial discharge capacity of 140 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and 60°C.

Research Center/Unit :

CESAM - Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials - ULiège [BE]
CERM - Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules - ULiège [BE]

Disciplines :

Materials science & engineering
Chemistry

Author, co-author :

Raj, Ashish; Université Catholique de Louvain [UCLouvain] - Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience [IMCN] - Belgium

Grignard, Bruno ; University of Liège [ULiège] - Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials [CESAM] Research Unit - Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules [CERM] - Belgium ; University of Liège [ULiège] - FRITCO2T Platform - Belgium

Bourguignon, Maxime ; University of Liège [ULiège] - Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials [CESAM] Research Unit - Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules [CERM] - Belgium

Detrembleur, Christophe ; University of Liège [ULiège] - Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials [CESAM] Research Unit - Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules [CERM] - Belgium ; Walloon Excellence [ WEL] Research Institute - Wavre - Belgium

Gohy, Jean-François ; Université Catholique de Louvain [UCLouvain] - Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience [IMCN] - Belgium

Language :

English

Title :

Composite Polymer Electrolytes Based on Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles for Lithium Metal Batteries

Publication date :

06 November 2025

Journal title :

Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

ISSN :

1022-1352

eISSN :

1521-3935

Publisher :

John Wiley and Sons Inc

Volume :

226

Issue :

Pages :

e00242

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

F.R.S.-FNRS - Fund for Scientific Research

Funding text :

The author received no specific funding for this work.AR and JFG are grateful to INNOVIRIS for supporting this research in the frame of a BRIDGE project. CD is FRS-FNRS Research Director and thanks FNRS for financial support.

Available on ORBi :

since 21 May 2026

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