Electro-Spun PAN/Silica-Li Composite Gel Electrolytes for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs), which combine the safety of solid electrolytes with the high ionic conductivity of liquid electrolytes, have long been regarded as ideal electrolyte materials. This study proposes a polymer/ceramics composite gel electrolyte aimed at improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries. A nanofiber membrane was fabricated by electrospinning a mixture of polyacrylonitrile and lithium-salt-grafted helical mesoporous silica nanoparticles, followed by plasticizer absorption to obtain the composite gel electrolyte film (PAN/SiO2-Li). Experimental results indicate that this gel electrolyte membrane possesses high thermal stability, a wide electrochemical window (>5.3 V vs. Li/Li+), high room-temperature ionic conductivity (~4.4 × 10−3 S cm−1), and a good lithium-ion transference number (0.72). In symmetric Li||Li cells, this electrolyte suppresses lithium dendrite growth and maintains stable lithium deposition/stripping. This work presents a practical electrolyte design strategy for developing GPEs with enhanced safety and performance.