Graft oligomeric electrolytes

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions prepared by free-radical-driven grafting onto hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon ethers of olefinically unsaturated fluorocarbons containing sulfonyl fluoride, fluorosulfonate, fluorosulfonimide, or fluorosulfonyl methide groups, wherein the grafting step is followed by a hydrolysis step in the case of sulfonyl fluoride.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A composition comprising a saturated acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, said hydrocarbon radical having disposed thereupon at least one pendant group represented by the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein said hydrocarbon radical is optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens; 
 wherein R f  is represented by the formula  
 -Q-O a —(CF 2 CFR f ′—O b ) c CF 2 CF 2 — 
 where a=0 or 1, b=0 or 1, c=0,1 or 2; -Q- is represented by the formula  
 —CZ 2 CZ 2 -  
 where Z is H, F, alkyl or fluoroalkyl with the proviso that not more than one Z may be alkyl or fluoroalkyl; R f ′ is F or a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally subtituted by one or more ether oxygens; X is F or —Y(M)(SO 2 R f ″) p  wherein p=0-2, with the proviso that Y is O when p=0, Y is N when p=1, and Y is C when p=2, M is an-alkali metal cation or H + , and R f ″ is a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, or R f ″ is CN when p=2.  
 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon radical is a radical having 6-30 carbons chain optionally substituted by one or more ether oxygens, or is a radical formed from a poly(ethylene oxide) of molecular weight between 100 and 2000 daltons.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from dodecane.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from poly(ethylene oxide) having a molecular weight between 100 and 2000 Daltons.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein, in said pendant group, Z is F or H, a=0 or 1, b=1, c=0 or 1, and X is F, with the proviso that when Z is H, a=0.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein, in said pendant group, Z is F, a=1, b=1, and c=1, and X is F.  
     
     
         7 . A process for forming a composition, the process comprising contacting in the presence of a free radical initiator a saturated acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, with an olefinically unsaturated fluorocarbon and, heating in order to decompose the initiator and form free radicals; said olefinically unsaturated fluorocarbon being represented by the formula  
       CZ 2 =CZ-O a —(CF 2 CFR f ′—O b ) c CF 2 CF 2 —SO 2 X  
       where Z is H, F, alkyl or fluoroalkyl with the proviso that not more than one Z may be alkyl or fluoroalkyl; R f ′ is F or a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally subtituted by one or more ether oxygens; and X is F or —Y(M)(SO 2 R f ″) p  wherein p=0-2, with the proviso that Y is O when p=0, Y is N when p=1, and Y is C when p=2, M is an alkali metal cation or H+, and Rf″ is a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein said olefinically unsaturated fluorocarbon is in the form of a sulfonate, imide, of methide, and said saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon optionally substituted by one or more ether oxygens is an aliphatic polyether.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein said polyether is poly(ethylene oxide) of molecular weight between 100 and 2000 daltons.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon optionally substituted by one or more either oxygens is dodecane.  
     
     
         11 . An electrolyte composition comprising a liquid, a polymer, or a mixture thereof combined with a composition comprising a saturated acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, said hydrocarbon radical having disposed thereupon at least one pendant group represented by the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R f  is represented by the formula  
       -Q-O a —(CF 2 CFR f ′—O b ) c CF 2 CF 2 — 
       where a=0 or 1, b=0 or 1, c=0,1 or 2; -Q- is represented by the formula  
       —CZ 2 CZ 2 -  
       where Z is H, F, alkyl or fluoroalkyl with the proviso that not more than one Z may be alkyl or fluoroalkyl; R f ′ is F or a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally subtituted by one or more ether oxygens; X is F or —Y(M)(SO 2 R f ″) p  wherein p=0-2, with the proviso that Y is O when p=0, Y is N when p=1, and Y is C when p=2, M is an alkali metal cation or H + , and R f ″ is a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, or R f ″ is CN when p=2.  
     
     
         12 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 11  wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), propylene carbonate (PC), and ethylene carbonate (EC), most preferably EC or PC, and monoesters such as methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate (EA), methyl formate (MF), methyl propionate (MP), ethyl propionate(EP), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), dimethyl succinate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 11  wherein the liquid is a mixture of a cyclic carbonate and an acyclic carbonate.  
     
     
         14 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 12  wherein the cyclic carbonate is ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or a mixture thereof, and the acyclic carbonate is dimethyl carbonate, diethylcarbonate, ethyl-methyl carbonate, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 11  comprising a polymer wherein the polymer is a polyether, polyetheracrylate, polyethermethacrylate, comb-shaped polyethers, polyvinyl ether, or poly[bis-(methoxyexothyethoxide)phosphazene] and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 15  wherein the polymer is polyethylene oxide or poly(polyethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate.  
     
     
         17 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 11  wherein the hydrocarbon radical is a radical having 6-30 carbons optionally substituted by one or more ether oxygens, or is a radical formed from a polyether of molecular weight between 100 and 2000 daltons.  
     
     
         18 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 17  wherein the hydrocarbon radical is derived from dodecane.  
     
     
         19 . The electrolyte composition of  claim 17  wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from poly(ethylene oxide) having a molecular weight between 100 and 2000 Daltons.  
     
     
         20 . An electrochemical cell comprising a positive elecrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and an electrolyte solution, in ionically conductive contact with one another, said electrolyte solution comprising a liquid or a polymer combined with a composition comprising a saturated acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, said hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens having disposed thereupon at least one pendant group represented by the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R f  is represented by the formula  
       -Q-O a —(CF 2 CFR f ′—O b ) c CF 2 CF 2 — 
       where a=0 or 1, b=0 or 1, c=0,1 or 2; -Q- is represented by the formula  
       —CZ 2 CZ 2 -  
       where Z is H, F, alkyl or fluoroalkyl with the proviso that not more than one Z may be alkyl or fluoroalkyl; R f ′ is F or a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally subtituted by one or more ether oxygens; X is F or —Y(M)(SO 2 R f ″) p  wherein p=0-2, with the proviso that Y is O when p=O, Y is N when p=1, and Y is C when p=2, M is an alkali metal cation or H + , and R f ″ is a perfluoroalkyl radical having 1-10 carbons optionally substituted with one or more ether oxygens, or R f ″ is CN when p=2.  
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  in the form of a lithium or lithium-ion cell.  
     
     
         22  The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  wherein the separator is an ionomer.  
     
     
         23 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  wherein the separator is a copolymer of polyvinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene.  
     
     
         24 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  wherein the separator comprises an aliphatic polyether or a polyether acrylate.  
     
     
         25 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  or  claim 21  wherein the hydrocarbon radical is formed from a radical having 6-30 carbons disposed in a linear chain optionally substituted by one or more ether oxygens, or is a radical formed from an aliphatic polyether of molecular weight between 100 and 2000 daltons.  
     
     
         26 . The electrochemical cell of claims  20  or  21  wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from dodecane.  
     
     
         27 . The electrochemical cell of claims  20  or  21  wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from poly(ethylene oxide) having a molecular weight between 100 and 2000 Daltons.  
     
     
         28 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 20  wherein in the electrolyte solution, the polymer is an aliphatic polyether or a polyether acrylate.  
     
     
         29 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 28  wherein the polymer is polyethylene oxide or poly(polyethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate.