Volume 61, Issue 2 e202110695
Research Article

Highly Processable Covalent Organic Framework Gel Electrolyte Enabled by Side-Chain Engineering for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Ziya Liu

Ziya Liu

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Kun Zhang

Dr. Kun Zhang

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Guoji Huang

Dr. Guoji Huang

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

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Dr. Bingqing Xu

Corresponding Author

Dr. Bingqing Xu

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

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Dr. You-lee Hong

Dr. You-lee Hong

RIKEN-JEOL Collaboration Center, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045 Japan

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Dr. Xiaowei Wu

Dr. Xiaowei Wu

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

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Dr. Yusuke Nishiyama

Dr. Yusuke Nishiyama

JEOL RESONANCE Inc., 3-1-2 Musashino, Akishima, Tokyo, 196-8558 Japan

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Prof. Satoshi Horike

Corresponding Author

Prof. Satoshi Horike

Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan

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Prof. Gen Zhang

Corresponding Author

Prof. Gen Zhang

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094 China

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Prof. Susumu Kitagawa

Prof. Susumu Kitagawa

Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 Japan

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First published: 28 October 2021
Citations: 74

Graphical Abstract

We propose a general gelation strategy for the construction of highly processible covalent organic framework (COF)-Gel materials through side-chain engineering. The COF-Gel is compatible with electronic devices with diverse functionality, including in lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract

Although covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with a graphene-like structure present unique chemical and physical properties, they are essentially insoluble and infusible crystalline powders with poor processability, hindering their further practical applications. How to improve the processability of COF materials is a major challenge in this field. In this contribution, we proposed a general side-chain engineering strategy to construct a gel-state COF with high processability. This method takes advantages of large and soft branched alkyl side chains as internal plasticizers to achieve the gelation of the COF. We systematically studied the influence of the length of the side chain on the COF gel formation. Benefitting from their machinability and flexibility, this novel COF gel can be easily processed into gel-type electrolytes with specific shape and thickness, which were further applied to assemble lithium-ion batteries that exhibited high cycling stability.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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