Nitroxide-substituted polyether as a new material for batteries

Abstract

Nitroxide-substituted polyether was synthesized as a cathode-active material for a secondary battery. Anionic ring-opening polymerization of a TEMPO-bearing glycidyl ether was carried out under bulk conditions to yield the corresponding polymer with the molecular weight of >104. The obtained polymer was insoluble, but slightly swollen in the electrolyte solution (ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate). The test cell fabricated with a carbon composite cathode of this radical polymer displayed a plateau voltage at 3.5 V vs. Li/Li+. The cell performance was maintained even with a higher amount of the radical polymer loaded in the composite electrode, which could be ascribed to the flexible and rubbery polyether backbone and its higher compatibility with the electrolyte solution. Copyright © 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.