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Micellar Cathodes from Self‐Assembled Nitroxide‐Containing Block Copolymers in Battery Electrolytes
Author(s) -
Hauffman Guillaume,
Maguin Quentin,
Bourgeois JeanPierre,
Vlad Alexandru,
Gohy JeanFrançois
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201300532
Subject(s) - copolymer , ethylene carbonate , micelle , electrolyte , materials science , electrochemistry , battery (electricity) , dimethyl carbonate , trifluoromethanesulfonate , dynamic light scattering , chemical engineering , lithium (medication) , polymer chemistry , lithium ion battery , ethylene oxide , chemistry , electrode , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , aqueous solution , composite material , catalysis , polymer , endocrinology , engineering , power (physics) , quantum mechanics , medicine , physics
This contribution describes the synthesis of block copolymers containing electrochemically active blocks, their micellization, and finally their use as micellar cathodes in a lithium battery. The self‐assembly of the synthesized poly(styrene)‐ block ‐poly(2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy‐4‐yl methacrylate) (PS‐ b ‐PTMA) diblock copolymers is realized in a typical battery electrolyte made of 1 m lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate dissolved in a mixture of ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate/dimethyl carbonate(1:1:1, in volume). Dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy indicate the formation of well‐defined spherical micelles with a PS core and a PTMA corona. The electrochemical properties of those micelles are further investigated. Cyclic voltammograms show a reversible redox reaction at 3.6 V (vs Li + /Li). The charge/discharge profiles indicate a flat and reversible plateau around 3.6 V (vs Li + /Li). Finally, the cycling performances of the micellar cathodes are demonstrated. Such self‐assembled block copolymers open new opportunities for nanostructured organic radical batteries.