Superior adaptability of bicontinuous structural electrolytes with excellent ionic conductivity and surpassing mechanical properties

Bicontinuous structural electrolytes fabricated through a two-step process are explored for multifunctional performance optimization matching different liquid electrolytes and investigated for application in battery structural composites. Tetra-functional epoxy resins mixed with water soluble porogen are employed to build skeletal resin matrix with controllable microporous structure and porosities. The obtained structural electrolytes present superior adaptability to various types of liquid electrolytes, favorable to achieve excellent ionic conductivity and surpassing mechanical properties. Structural electrolyte prepared from a skeletal epoxy with 31.2 % porosity achieves the ionic conductivity of 2.50 mS/cm and tensile modulus of 1.34 GPa. When incorporated into structural battery composites, the bicontinuous structural electrolytes provide unobstructed and stable ionic pathways between carbon fibers and counter electrodes in addition to demonstrating superior flexural strength and modulus up to 248.63 MPa and 41.63 GPa. The structural electrolyte demonstrates great potential for application in structural battery composites.