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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

DME-Propane Ignition Delay Time Measurements at Mixing Controlled Compression Ignition Engine-Relevant Conditions

The blend of dimethyl ether (DME, CH 3 OCH 3 ) and propane (C 3 H 8 ) is a potentially renewable fuel mixture that has the potential to replace diesel in compression ignition engines. The combination can potentially reduce particulate and greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional diesel engine operating under similar conditions. However, detailed conceptual and simulation studies must be conducted before adopting a new fuel on a compression ignition engine. For these simulations, accurate chemical kinetic models are necessary. However, the validity of chemical kinetic mechanisms in the literature is unknown for mixing controlled compression ignition (MCCI) engine operating conditions. Hence, in this work, we studied the ignition of dimethyl ether (DME) and propane blends in a shock tube at MCCI engine conditions. Ignition delay time (IDT) data was collected behind the reflected shock for DME-propane mixtures for heavy-duty compression ignition (CI) engine parameters. Undiluted experiments spanning temperatures of 700 to 1100 K and pressures of 55 to 84 bar for various blends (100% CH 3 OCH 3 / 0% C 3 H 8, 100% C 3 H 8 / 0% CH 3 OCH 3 , 60% CH 3 OCH 3 / 40% C 3 H 8 ) of DME and propane were combusted in synthetic air (21% O 2 / 79% N 2 ). Some experiments were conducted at higher pressures (90-120 bar) to understand model performance at these conditions. Comparisons of IDT were made with the predictions of recent chemical kinetic mechanisms for DME-propane mixture, including the Aramco3.0, NUIG, and Dames et al. mechanisms. All mechanisms overpredicted IDT compared to experimental values. Sensitivity analysis was conducted with Dames et al. model, and critical reactions sensitive to IDT of DME-propane mixture near 100 bar are outlined.

Mohammed, Zuhayr Pasha↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simultaneous 10 kHz three-dimensional CH 2 O and tomographic PIV measurements in a lifted partially-premixed jet flame

High-speed, three-dimensional (3D) scalar-velocity field measurements are demonstrated in a lifted partially-premixed dimethyl-ether/air jet flame using simultaneous laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of formaldehyde (CH 2 O) and tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV). The 3D LIF measurements are performed by raster scanning the laser beam from a 100 kHz pulse-burst laser across the probe volume using an acousto-optic deflector. The volumetric reconstruction of the LIF signal from ten parallel planes provides quasi-instantaneous 3D LIF measurements that are synchronized with 10 kHz TPIV measurements. Here, the temporally resolved CH 2 O-LIF and velocity field data are used to analyze Lagrangian particle trajectories and displacement speeds at the base of the lifted flame. The particle trajectories reveal flow structures that are difficult to observe in an Eulerian reference frame. Positive and negative displacement speeds are observed at the CH 2 O-LIF surfaces at the inner and outer regions of the jet flame with a maximum displacement speed of approximately eight times the laminar flame speed of a stoichiometric dimethyl-ether/air mixture. The observations in present study support formation of lean premixed flames near the flame base whose role in flame stabilization should be investigated in more detail.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Molecular Tuning of Reactivity of Zeolite Protons in HZSM-5

In acidic HZSM-5 zeolite, the reactivity of a methanol molecule interacting with the zeolite proton is amenable to modification via coadsorbing a stochiometric amount of an electron density donor E to form the [(E)(CH 3 OH)(HZ)] complex. The rate of the methanol in this complex undergoing dehydration to dimethyl ether was determined for a series of E with proton affinity (PA) ranging from 659 kJ mol –1 for C 6 F 6 to 825 kJ mol –1 for C 4 H 8 O and was found to follow the expression: Ln(Rate) – Ln(Rate N 2 ) = β(PA – PA N 2 ) γ , where E = N 2 is the reference and β and γ are constants. This trend is probably due to the increased stability of the solvated proton in the [(E)(CH 3 OH)(HZ)] complex with increasing PA. Importantly, this is also observed in steady-state flow reactions when stoichiometric quantities of E are preadsorbed on the zeolite. As demonstrated with E being D 2 O, the effect on methanol reactivity diminishes when E is present in excess of the [(E)(CH 3 OH)(HZ)] complex. It is proposed that the methanol dehydration reaction involves [(E)(CH 3 OH)(CH 3 OH)(HZ)] as the transition state, which is supported by the isotopologue distribution of the initial dimethyl ether formed when a flow of CH 3 OH was passed over ZSM-5 containing one CD 3 OH per zeolite proton. Furthermore, the implication of this on the mechanism of catalytic methanol dehydration on HZSM-5 is discussed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Comparative Study of Redox Mediators for Improved Performance of Li-Oxygen Batteries.

Redox meditators (RMs) are soluble catalysts located in an electrolyte that can improve the energy efficiency (reduced overpotential) and cyclability of Li-oxygen (Li-O-2) batteries. In this work, 20 RMs within a Li-O-2 system with dimethyl sulfoxide and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether electrolytes are studied and their electrochemical features such as redox potential, the separation of cathodic and anodic peaks, and their current intensities are measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. Six RMs are selected as "primary" choices based on their electrochemical performance, and stability tests are then performed to examine their electrochemical responses after consecutive cycles. Moreover, galvanostatic cycling tests are performed within a Li-O-2 battery system assembled with selected six RMs for real case consistency investigations. It is found that results from CV to galvanostatic cycling tests are consistent for halides and organometallic RMs, where the former exhibit much higher stability. However, the organic RMs show high reversibility in CV but low in battery cycling results. Density functional theory calculations are carried out to gain more understanding of the stability and redox potentials of the RMs. This study provides comparative information to select the most reliable RMs for Li-O-2 batteries along with new fundamental understanding of their electrochemical activity and stability.

cyclic voltammetry↗
DOE OSTI2022

Selective Plasticization of Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) Block in Nanostructured Polystyrene– PEO– Polystyrene Triblock Copolymer Electrolytes

The plasticization of a polymer electrolyte usually promotes its ionic conductivity but decreases its storage modulus due to the increased polymer chain flexibility. Herein, we show that such a tradeoff between the ionic conductivity and the mechanical robustness of the polymer electrolyte can be alleviated by selective plasticization of the ion-conductive block, such as poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in a polystyrene (PS)– PEO–PS block copolymer (SEO) electrolyte using an ether type plasticizer, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME). In this work, at maximum plasticizer loading, the room temperature ionic conductivity increases by up to 3 orders, whereas the storage modulus, G' reduces to half, is still on the order of 10 2 MPa. At above the melting temperature of the PEO block, the dynamic storage modulus, G' of the plasticized membrane surpasses its dry PS-PEO-PS counterpart. Such a phenomenon results from that, a) TEGDME co-crystallizes with PEO to promote its crystallinity and hence the storage modulus, b) TEGDME swells the amorphous PEO phase to enhance the polymer chain segmental mobility and hence ionic conductivity, and c) the PS phase remains intact from TEGDME to keep the SEO elastic.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

High-Octane Gasoline from Lignocellulosic Biomass via Syngas and Methanol/Dimethyl Ether Intermediates (2021 State of Technology)

The 2021 state of technology (SOT) assessment for the indirect liquefaction (IDL) of lignocellulosic biomass to high-octane gasoline (HOG) via methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) intermediates details the techno-economic analysis (TEA) results and technical progress of the pathway since the 2020 SOT report. A detailed process description and collection of underlying assumptions is given the 2015 design report. In 2021, research efforts rigorously quantified the selectivity of DME to aromatic compounds. As a result, the overall carbon selectivity to hydrocarbon products was updated based upon new findings. Additionally, research conducted over the past few years resulted in successful lower temperature regeneration of NREL's Cu/BEA catalyst with favorable implications on catalyst longevity. Discussions with an engineering firm resulted in an update to the excess air requirement for process combustors (including the char combustor, tar reformer combustor, and catalyst regenerator) in which excess air was reduced from 20% excess to 10%. The cumulative effect of the above efforts was used to calculate a minimum fuel selling price for the modeled pathway. Sensitivity cases examining federal carbon tax credits from CO 2 capture, product selectivity and yield, catalyst lifetime, and other key financial and process parameters were also considered in this assessment.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

High-Octane Gasoline from Lignocellulosic Biomass via Syngas and Methanol/Dimethyl Ether Intermediates: 2019 State of Technology

The report focuses on 2019 state of technology (SOT) updates to a 2018 SOT report, which presented research and techno-economic analysis updates of the detailed 2015 design report, along with sensitivity analysis showing the effect of key assumptions and parameters. Relevant developments in 2019 are presented here without repeating the bulk of the material included in the previous reports. The conversion pathway presented in this report includes the gasification of biomass, steam reforming and cleanup of the syngas, followed by the conversion of the syngas to high-octane gasoline (HOG) via methanol and dimethyl-ether (DME) intermediates. Key achievements in 2019 for the DME-to-HOG conversion step include increased DME conversion, while maintaining selectivity towards desirable C5+ hydrocarbon products, reduced aromatics formation, and an increased conversion of co-fed C4 to C5+ (in experiments conducted to simulate the recycle of C4 products).

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-Octane Gasoline from Lignocellulosic Biomass via Syngas and Methanol/Dimethyl Ether Intermediates: 2020 State of Technology

The 2020 state of technology (SOT) serves as an update to the 2019 SOT report and details the techno-economic analysis (TEA) results for producing high-octane gasoline (HOG) via indirect liquefaction (IDL). This report only describes changes to the experimental and analysis results from previous SOTs; more details regarding the full process design can be found in the 2015 design report. The conversion pathway presented in this report includes the gasification of biomass, steam reforming and cleanup of the syngas, followed by the conversion of the syngas to HOG via methanol and dimethyl-ether (DME) intermediates. Research efforts in 2020 included the collection of experimental results over a variety of isobutane (iC4) to DME ratios in the feed of the DME-to-HOG reactor, enabling the TEA to identify the effect on modeled product yield and cost. Additionally, a significant re-build of the Aspen Plus model allowed for better integration of new research, however underlying conceptual and economic assumptions remain the same as those detailed in the 2015 deign report. The 2020 SOT also considers the potential for federal carbon tax credits from CO 2 capture in the acid-gas removal step and the impact on the final minimum fuel selling price.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Superior CO 2 /N 2 separation performance of highly branched Poly(1,3 dioxolane) plasticized by polyethylene glycol

With its high content of CO 2 -philic ether oxygen groups, poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDXLA) has emerged as an attractive platform to achieve excellent CO 2 /N 2 separation properties for post-combustion carbon capture. Herein we demonstrate that the separation properties of PDXLA can be further enhanced by plasticizing with miscible polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based additives using an integrated experimentation and modeling approach. The effects of the chain end groups and loading level of the additives on the physical properties of the blends are thoroughly investigated, including glass transition temperature (T g ), fractional free volume, and gas transport properties, and the effects can be satisfactorily described using models available for homogeneous blends. Notably, a T g -integrated free volume model is adapted to successfully interpret the unified effect of the blend composition and temperature on gas diffusivity and permeability. A sample containing 45 mass% PEG dimethyl ether (PEGDME with a molecular mass of 240 g/mol) displays stable mixed-gas CO 2 permeability of 1540 Barrer and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 40 when challenged with a model flue gas at 60 °C, outperforming Robeson's 2008 upper bound. Elucidating how small plasticizers impact gas transport in homogeneous blends may unravel a facile way to design high-performance membranes for gas separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Neutron Insights into Sorption Enhanced Methanol Catalysis

Sorption enhanced methanol production makes use of the equilibrium shift of the CO 2 hydrogenation reaction towards the desired products. However, the increased complexity of the catalyst system leads to additional reactions and thus side products such as dimethyl ether, and complicates the analysis of the reaction mechanism. On the other hand, the unusually high concentration of intermediates and products in the sorbent facilitates the use of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopy. Despite being a post-mortem method, the INS data revealed the change of the reaction path during sorption catalysis. Concretely, the experiments indicate that the varying water partial pressure due to the adsorption saturation of the zeolite sorbent influences the progress of the reaction steps in which water is involved. Experiments with model catalysts support the INS findings.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Class-based separations of mixed solid–liquid systems with condensable solvent washing and extraction: The dilemma of pizza box recycling

As primary feedstocks deplete across the world, raw material extraction becomes increasingly expensive. Awareness of the environmental impact of primary extraction has motivated the development of energy- and reagent-efficient methods for material reuse. This work confronts an emblematic challenge of modern recycling: the soiled pizza box. While the fibers constituting corrugated cardboard are generally recyclable, pizza contaminants such as sauces and oils complicate their reuse, resulting in municipal prohibitions on the recycling of used pizza boxes in cardboard recycling streams and a representative of 275 kg/year per US household of food waste that is directed to landfill. This challenge is common to many materials, and engineering strategies must be developed to tackle complex/mixed feedstocks. To address the mixed composition of the pizza box (and similar materials), an environmentally benign, non-toxic organic solvent is applied to remove and fractionate components from mixed materials. The solvent employed in this process, dimethyl ether (DME), is a condensable hygroscopic gas, which facilitates its removal and recovery for reuse. Further, the results of this study indicate that 1) DME is capable of solubilizing and extracting components from soiled cardboard and other materials, (resulting in cardboard drier than new/unused cardboard) facilitating its recycling, and 2) the DME-soluble components of the system phase separate into aqueous and fatty acid/oil fractions (potentially ~27.5 kg/year per US household). Condensable solvent-driven washing and extraction enable the efficient separation of multiple intermediate product streams, suggesting a pathway to enable technology development necessary for achieving clean production in a circular economy.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Full Spectrum of Characterization for Insight into Carbon Speciation and Removal on a Cu/BEA Catalyst During Renewable High-Octane Hydrocarbon Synthesis

Conversion of methanol and dimethyl ether to high-octane gasoline catalyzed by beta zeolite (BEA) provides an opportunity for the production of high-quality fuels from renewable carbon sources (e.g., gasified biomass). Recent research demonstrated that a Cu-modified BEA zeolite catalyst (Cu/BEA) offered advantages over the unmodified BEA catalyst due to multifunctional Cu species that enabled incorporation of co-fed H2, reactivation of light alkanes, and reduction of products from the aromatic hydrocarbon pool. The shift in hydrocarbon pool chemistry has the potential to influence the identity and relative composition of surface carbon species that are often linked to deactivation. A detailed understanding of these carbon species is important to develop an effective and efficient regeneration procedure that can enable the transition from fundamental catalyst development to commercial application. Here, we applied complementary ex situ and in situ characterization techniques to compare the structures of surface carbon species on post-reaction Cu/BEA and unmodified BEA catalysts. Both catalysts contained acyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons along with graphitic carbon species. However, the post-reaction Cu/BEA catalyst had a lower polycyclic aromatic content, and further, the graphitic species were more hydrogenated and defective. It was also found that the presence of Cu promoted carbon removal at lower temperatures than for unmodified BEA through activation of O2 by Cu during thermal oxidation. The fundamental insight into the composition of surface carbon species enabled the design of an effective and efficient regeneration strategy for the DME homologation reaction over Cu/BEA, resulting in full recovery of the catalyst activity.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Spectroscopic insight into carbon speciation and removal on a Cu/BEA catalyst during renewable high-octane hydrocarbon synthesis

Conversion of methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) to high-octane gasoline catalyzed by beta zeolite (BEA) provides an opportunity for the production of high-quality fuels from renewable carbon sources (e.g., gasified biomass). Recent research demonstrated that a Cu-modified BEA zeolite catalyst (Cu/BEA) offered advantages over the unmodified BEA catalyst due to multifunctional Cu species that enabled incorporation of co-fed H2, reactivation of light alkanes, and reduction of products from the aromatic hydrocarbon pool. The shift in hydrocarbon pool chemistry has the potential to influence the identity and relative composition of surface carbon species that are often linked to deactivation. A detailed understanding of these carbon species is important to develop an effective and efficient regeneration procedure that can enable the transition from fundamental catalyst development to commercial application. Here, we applied complementary ex situ and in situ characterization techniques to compare the structures of surface carbon species on post-reaction Cu/BEA and unmodified BEA catalysts. Both catalysts contained acyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons along with graphitic carbon species. However, the post-reaction Cu/BEA catalyst had a lower polycyclic aromatic content, and further, the graphitic species were more hydrogenated and defective. It was also found that the presence of Cu promoted carbon removal at lower temperatures than for unmodified BEA through activation of O2 by Cu oxide during thermal oxidation. The fundamental insight into the composition of surface carbon species enabled the design of an effective and efficient regeneration strategy for the DME homologation reaction over Cu/BEA, resulting in full recovery of the catalyst activity.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Flame stabilization in DME spray flames under engine-relevant conditions characterized by OH* chemiluminescence and formaldehyde laser-induced fluorescence

The transient and quasi-steady flame structures of Dimethyl Ether (DME) fuel sprays, produced by a single-hole injector (Spray D), were investigated using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) and chemiluminescence imaging in a constant-volume chamber under Engine Combustion Network (ECN) Spray A conditions (900 K ambient temperature, 60 bar ambient pressure, 1500 bar injection pressure, and 22.8 kg/m 3 ambient density). Low-temperature chemical reaction zones were visualized using formaldehyde (CH 2 O) PLIF with 355 nm excitation, while high-temperature flame regions were captured via chemiluminescence imaging of excited-state hydroxyl radicals (OH*). Both transient and quasi-steady flame structures clearly show the transition from CH 2 O to OH*, highlighting the progression from low- to high-temperature combustion, while the position of the flame is displaced for DME compared to reference hydrocarbon n-dodecane. Homogeneous reactor calculations with detailed chemistry and using adiabatic mixing for initial temperature show that CH 2 O peaks are significantly higher for DME at the same equivalence ratio, with a higher heat-release during the cool-flame regime with respect to the fuel heating value. Thus, the cool-flame dynamic as a precursor to high-temperature combustion and flame stabilization exhibit distinct behavior for DME relative to conventional hydrocarbons, and these phenomena are effectively resolved through the soot-free nature of DME and the high-speed, time-resolved diagnostics.

CH2O laser-induced fluorescence↗
DOE OSTI2023

Plasma-assisted deflagration to detonation transition in a microchannel with fast-frame imaging and hybrid fs/ps coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering measurements

Our study examines kinetic enhancement by nanosecond dielectric barrier discharge (ns-DBD) plasma on fuellean dimethyl ether (DME), oxygen (O 2 ), and argon (Ar) premixtures during deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) experiments in a microchannel. Non-equilibrium plasma produces active species and radicals and creates fast and slow heating of a mixture to promote ignition due to electronic and vibrational excitation. Experiments have been conducted to examine the influence of the plasma discharge on the premixture and on the resultant deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) onset time and distance through the use of high speed imaging and one-dimensional, two-beam, femtosecond/picosecond, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). A highspeed camera is used to trace the time histories of flame front position and velocity and to identify the dynamics and onset of DDT. The results show that plasma discharge can nonlinearly affect the onset time and distance of DDT. It is shown that a small number of plasma discharge pulses prior to ignition result in reduced DDT onset time and distance by 60% and 40%, respectively, when compared to the results without pre-excitation by ns discharges. The results also show that an increase of plasma discharge pulses results in an extended DDT onset time and distance of 224% and 94%, respectively. Time history of the deflagration wave speed of DME and the analysis of ignition timescale under the choking condition of the deflagration front suggest low temperature ignition may play a role for DME near the isobaric choking condition of the burned gas and the DDT. Plasmainduced conversion of the reactive mixture was assessed via the O 2 to CO 2 ratio as measured through fs/ps CARS during the DBD discharges. The present experiments demonstrate the ability of non-equilibrium plasma to alter the chemistry of DME/O 2 /Ar premixtures in order to control DDT for applications in advanced propulsion engines.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Mechanistic origin of solvent-dependent thermal stability in sodiated Sn anodes for sodium-ion batteries

Understanding the thermal stability of high-energy density alloy anodes is critical for the safe deployment of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Here, accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC), post-mortem characterizations, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are combined to understand the thermal reactivity of fully sodiated Sn, Sn-hard carbon (HC) blends, and HC anodes in carbonate- and ether-based electrolytes. ARC measurements show that propylene carbonate (PC) causes earlier self-heating rate (SHR) onset and higher reactivity than tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME), indicating inferior thermal stability. Sodiated Sn exhibits better thermal stability than sodiated HC, while Sn-HC blends show intermediate behavior that improves with increasing Sn content. Post-ARC analyses reveal desodiation of Na15Sn4 to metallic Sn with particle coalescence, whereas Sn-HC blends and HC retain finer morphologies. PC promotes Sn oxidation to SnO, while TEGDME suppresses oxide formation; NaPF6-containing electrolytes additionally form NaF. DFT calculations show that PC adsorption lowers Na extraction energy and enhances interfacial electronic interactions, facilitating Na release and reductive decomposition. These results establish a direct correlation between solvent-dependent reaction pathways and thermal stability in SIB alloy anodes.

Accelerating rate calorimetry↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nanofilm Composite Membranes of Bottlebrush Poly(1,3‐Dioxolane) Plasticized by Poly(Ethylene Glycol) for CO 2 /N 2 Separation

Abstract Poly(1,3‐dioxolane) has emerged as a leading membrane material for post‐combustion CO 2 capture due to its high ether oxygen content and strong affinity toward CO 2 . However, they are often cross‐linked to inhibit crystallization, which makes them impossible to fabricate into industrial thin‐film composite membranes. Herein, soluble and high molecular weight bottlebrush polymers ( b PDXLA) are synthesized using reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating nanofilm (≈100 nm) composite membranes (NCMs). Furthermore, b PDXLA can be plasticized using a miscible additive of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (PEGDME) to improve CO 2 permeability while retaining good CO 2 /N 2 selectivity. For example, adding 20 mass% PEGDME improves CO 2 permeance from 930 to 1300 GPU and decreases CO 2 /N 2 selectivity from 74 to 53 at 25 °C; the membrane exhibits stable separation performance competitive with state‐of‐the‐art commercial membranes. This work unveils a practical approach to designing uncross‐linked, highly polar polymers for practical membrane gas separation and highlights a facile way to enhance performance by incorporating miscible plasticizers using industrial manufacturing processes.

Zhang, Gengyi [Department of Chemical and Biologic↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mechanically and Thermally Robust Gel Electrolytes Built from A Charged Double Helical Polymer

Polymer electrolytes have received tremendous interest in the development of solid-state batteries, but often fall short in one or more key properties required for practical applications. Herein, a rigid gel polymer electrolyte prepared by immobilizing a liquid mixture of a lithium salt and poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether with only 8 wt% poly(2,2′-disulfonyl-4,4′-benzidine terephthalamide) (PBDT) is reported. The high charge density and rigid double helical structure of PBDT lead to formation of a nanofibrillar structure that endows this electrolyte with stronger mechanical properties, wider temperature window, and higher battery rate capability compared to all other poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes. The ion transport mechanism in this rigid polymer electrolyte is systematically studied using multiple complementary techniques. Li/LiFePO 4 cells show excellent capacity retention over long-term cycling, with thermal cycling reversibility between ambient temperature and elevated temperatures, demonstrating compelling potential for solid-state batteries targeting fast charging at high temperatures and slower discharging at ambient temperature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗