Poly(ethylene disulfide)/graphene oxide nanocomposites: Dynamic-mechanical and electrochemical properties

Abstract

In this work, dynamic-mechanical and electrochemical properties of polyethylene disulfide and polyethylene disulfide/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites are investigated to explore their possible application in rechargeable batteries. The crude polyethylene disulfide, as well as GO and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) modified-GO loaded nanocomposites are synthesized through the in situ interfacial polymerization. The GO loaded nanocomposite presents a glass transition temperature of 4.5 °C and a high storage modulus of 115 MPa at 25 °C, which is 17% and 155% higher than that for the crude polyethylene disulfide and the SDBS-modified-GO loaded nanocomposite, respectively. Although the electrical conductivity of the 2 GO loaded nanocomposite is slightly higher than other two materials (due to the slightly higher electrical conductivity of GO nanosheets), the electrical conductivity of all polysulfide materials is very close and in the range of 10-6 and 10-4 S/m at low (10 Hz) and high frequencies (10 6 Hz), respectively. Notably, the polyethylene disulfide/GO nanocomposite presents a Coulombic efficiency of 97% in a lithium cell with a conventional liquid-electrolyte.