Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Solid State Batteries

Polymer solid electrolytes (PSEs) have garnered attention in making lithium batteries exhibit energy density, safety, and adequate flexibility. Outstanding charge storage properties have also been exhibited. Not only in pristine form, these PSEs can also be combined with other materials to form solid polymer-based composite electrolytes (SPCEs) to tune morphology, ion conductivity, and potential windows, resulting in better performance of the associated charge storage devices. PCEs and SPCEs are expected to be superior to liquid electrolytes and possess the ability to replace them. In this chapter, various characteristics of the polymers and their origin and effect on the charge storage properties will be discussed. Furthermore, the methodologies, design concepts, and various PSEs are highlighted. Various remarkable recent works implementing PSEs and PSCEs as electrolytes for the design of energy storage devices are also briefly discussed. This discussion projects an estimation of the various challenges that persist and need to be addressed before PSEs and PSCEs can be made commercially viable. The chapter ends with a conclusive note on the expected future direction of PSEs and PSCEs in energy storage as solid-state electrolytes.