Co-continuous polymer blend based lithium-ion conducting gel-polymer electrolytes

In this work we report the synthesis and characterization of gel-polymer el ectrolytes based on co-continuous polymer blends. Such blends are character ized by a bicontinuous morphology consisting of two three-dimensionally int erpenetrated polymer networks. Go-continuous polymer blends are simply form ed by hot-blending two immiscible polymers. The intrinsic advantage of co-c ontinuous polymer blends consists in the possibility of selecting the polym ers. One polymer (e.g., polystyrene) imparts the desired mechanical propert ies and the other polymer [e.g., poly(ethylene oxide)] enables the ionic co nductivity via formation of a gel which contains the electrolytic solution. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.