Composite gel membranes: a new class of improved polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries

Novel composite, gel-type polymer electrolytes have been prepared by disper sing selected ceramic powders into a matrix formed by a lithium salt soluti on contained in a poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) network. The electrochemical ch aracterization demonstrates that these new types of composite gel electroly tes have high ionic conductivity, P:ide electrochemical stability and, part icularly, high chemical integrity (no liquid leakage) even at temperatures above ambient These unique properties make the composite gel membranes part icularly suitable as electrolyte separators in lithium ion polymer batterie s. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.