The Effect of Acrylic Based Ionomer Gel Microstructure and Electrolyte Type on the Volume Conductivity of Assembled Battery Separator

In this research work, zinc tethered acrylic monomer was synthesized followed by its radical ter-polymerization with 20 and 70 wt. % of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate, respectively. The success of both reactions were confirmed by FTIR. Subsequently, the ter-polymer was transformed into cross-linked thin film, 70 micron in thickness, by 5 wt. % divinylbenzene (DVB)(heterogeneous network forming) and allyl methacrylate (AMA)(homogeneous network forming) to be used as an ionomer gel separator. The film microstructure characterization by DMTA  represented a single tan δ peak versus temperature at 76 (broader) and 69 ºC (narrower) using DVB and AMA containing cross-linkers, respectively. The  networks swelling in two basic electrolytes, NMP and ethanol based, enhanced the electrical conductivity of solid separator film to as much as 2.8×105 times. The maximum electrical conductivity of the solid separator film with 5 wt. % of AMA in NMP based electrolyte showed maximum at about 2.7×10-7 S/cm.