Design, synthesis, and characterization of polymeric materials for uses in energy storage applications

The work described in this thesis focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of polymeric materials for energy storage applications, which include small molecule electrolyte additives, solid polymer electrolyte, and gel polymer electrolyte systems. In addition, non-woven nanofiberous mats of a pre-ceramic polymer were examined for high-strength and temperature material applications.; Chapter 2 describes the synthesis and characterization of novel single ion conductive polymer electrolytes developed by covalently linking an arylsulfonimide substituent to the polyphosphazene backbone.; Chapter 3 details the synthesis of novel polyoctenamers with pendent functionalized-cyclotriphosphazenes as amphiphilic lithium-ion conductive membranes.; Chapter 4 focuses the design of novel amphiphilic single-ion conductive polynorbornenes with pendent cyclotriphosphazenes as candidates for lithium-ion conductive membranes for lithium-seawater batteries.; Chapter 5 is an analysis of the ionic conduction characteristics of silicate sol-gel poly[bis(methoxyethoxyethoxy)phosphazene] hybrid networks synthesized by hydrolysis and condensation reactions.; Chapter 6 investigates the influence of an organophosphate electrolyte additive on poly(ethylene oxide) lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide-based gel polymer electrolytes for secondary lithium battery applications.; The appendix is a pyrolysis study of electrostatically spun poly(norbornenyldecaborane), a polymeric boron carbide precursor. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...