International Journal of Physics | Vol. 3, No. 5, May 2012 | pp. 35–42
DOI: 10.46882/2012/IJP/000029
Article Type: Original Research Paper
Title: Quantitative Characterization of Mechanical Degradation in Composite Polymer Solid Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Names of Authors: I. G. Usman¹, H. S. Peterson²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Physics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; ²Department of Materials Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract: Solid-state lithium batteries offer enhanced safety profiles and higher energy densities compared to conventional liquid-electrolyte cells, though they remain limited by localized mechanical degradation during cycling. This paper explores the microstructural evolution, ionic conductivity, and mechanical failure mechanisms of polyethylene oxide (PEO) solid polymer electrolytes blended with lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) and titania (TiO₂) nanoparticles. The composite films were evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and nanoindentation testing across a temperature range of 298 K to 350 K. The experimental measurements show that adding 10% wt TiO₂ nanoparticles increases the room-temperature ionic conductivity from 2.4 x 10⁻⁶ S/cm to 4.8 x 10⁻⁵ S/cm, driven by a reduction in polymer crystallinity. Nanoindentation profiles showed a 45% increase in Young's modulus, which helps suppress dendritic lithium growth at the anode interface. However, tracking structural profiles over 200 charge-discharge cycles revealed micro-crack formation at the electrode-electrolyte boundary caused by localized strain gradients during lithium plating. These results highlight the importance of controlling nanoparticle distributions to balance mechanical durability and ionic transport in solid-state energy storage networks.
Keywords: Solid polymer electrolyte; Lithium-ion batteries; Ionic conductivity; Nanoindentation; Lithium dendrites; Polyethylene oxide; Microstructural degradation; Nanoparticle additives.
Manuscript Timeline: Received: February 10, 2012; Revised: March 22, 2012; Accepted: April 14, 2012; Published: May 04, 2012.
Citation: Usman, I. G., & Peterson, H. S. (2012). Quantitative Characterization of Mechanical Degradation in Composite Polymer Solid Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries. International Journal of Physics, 3(5), 35–42.
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