Flexible and Conductive 3D Printable Polyvinylidene Fluoride and Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) Based Gel Polymer Electrolytes

In this work, 3D printable gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based onN,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) in lithium chloride containing ethylene glycol solution are synthesized and their physicochemical properties are investigated. 3D printing is carried out with a customized stereolithography type 3D gel printer named "Soft and Wet Intelligent Matter-Easy Realizer" and free forming GPE samples having variable shapes and sizes are obtained. Printed PVDF/PDMAAm-based GPEs exhibit tunable mechanical properties and favorable thermal stability. Electrochemical proprieties of the printed GPEs are carried out via impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range of 25-90 degrees C by varying PVDF content. Ionic conductivity as high as 6.5 x 10(-4)S cm(-1)is achieved at room temperature for GPE containing low PVDF content (5 wt%) and conductivity of the GPEs is increased as temperature rises.