Porous Polymer Electrolytes Based on Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) for Sodium Ion Battery

Abstract

Sodium batteries are a suitable alternative to lithium batteries due to the limited availability of lithium metal resources. Research on polymer electrolytes based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in sodium batteries has been limited. However, studies on PMMA-based polymer electrolytes in sodium batteries have shown that the use of fillers is an effective method for improving the ionic conductivity of PMMA. Another approach that can significantly enhance the conductivity of this type of electrolyte is the introduction of porosity into the electrolyte. In the present study, the electrochemical properties of a porous polymer electrolyte based on PMMA are investigated. The cross-linked PMMA-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are prepared via a photopolymerization technique, and the porosity of the prepared electrolyte is achieved through an etching method using a solvent. The results showed that the introduction of porosity enhances the ionic conductivity of GPEs in sodium-ion batteries. The optimized GPE exhibited an ionic conductivity of 1.56 mS cm⁻¹ at room temperature, excellent electrochemical stability (upper 4.5 V), and a specific capacity of 138.9 mAh g⁻¹. These findings highlight the potential of porous PMMA-based GPEs for the development of high-performance sodium ion batteries, offering a viable pathway toward next-generation energy storage technologies.

Keywords

gel polymer electrolyte / poly(methyl methacrylate) / porous polymer electrolyte / sodium ion batteries

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2025 The Author(s). Battery Energy published by Xijing University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.