Patent Title: A Polymer-Based Electrolyte And Method For Obtaining The Same
IP Status: Granted European and Japanese patents; published US patent application; filing/protection coverage reported for the United States, Japan, Germany and Türkiye
Technology Area: Solid Polymer Electrolytes / Structural Energy Storage / Supercapacitors / Flexible Energy Systems
TRL: TRL 3
This polyoxazoline-based electrolyte technology combines ionic transport and mechanical strength within the same crosslinked polymer network, enabling energy-storage components to contribute both electrochemical and structural functionality. The adaptable material architecture provides a platform for applications ranging from flexible electronics and wearable devices to structural supercapacitors and multifunctional energy-storage composites.
Technology Overview
The technology is based on a polyoxazoline (POZ) electrolyte crosslinked with epoxy resin to create an ionically conductive and mechanically robust polymer network. Secondary amine groups along the polyoxazoline chains react with epoxy groups to form a three-dimensional structure that simultaneously provides pathways for ion transport and a crosslinked polymer framework capable of contributing mechanical performance.
A proportion of the functional groups along the polymer backbone can be converted into quaternary ammonium groups to introduce ionic functionality into the network. Lithium salts, and where required ionic liquids or suitable solvents, can also be incorporated to facilitate the transport of mobile lithium ions through the interconnected pathways. Ionic conductivity and mechanical behaviour can therefore be tailored through the polymer architecture, crosslinking density and selection of ionic components.
A principal differentiating feature is the ability to address the conventional trade-off between ionic conductivity and mechanical stiffness within a single material architecture. Increasing polymer mobility can improve ion transport but may reduce structural performance, while excessive crosslinking can restrict ionic mobility. The POZ-based system provides control over parameters including molecular weight, chain length, spacing of functional groups and crosslinking density, allowing these two requirements to be engineered together.
The secondary amine groups can react directly with epoxy resins, reducing or eliminating the need for an additional curing agent during formation of the network. Different epoxy crosslinkers can also be selected to modify the spacing between polymer chains and adjust the flexibility and stiffness of the resulting network. This chemical design flexibility supports adaptation of the electrolyte to different structural and flexible energy-storage configurations.
The POZ-based electrolyte may be cast with thin, robust separator films or veils to form ionically conductive prepreg-type structures. This enables the material concept to be considered for wearable and flexible supercapacitors, structural supercapacitors, structural lithium-ion batteries and other multifunctional composite energy-storage systems.
Problem / Market Need
Energy-storage systems used in electric vehicles, aircraft, wearable electronics and portable devices contribute substantial weight and volume while typically serving only an electrochemical function. Batteries and supercapacitors generally do not form part of the primary load-bearing structure, requiring energy-storage and structural components to be designed separately.
Structural energy storage offers an alternative approach in which electrochemical functionality is integrated into mechanically functional composite structures, potentially reducing component duplication and enabling new system architectures. A key technical challenge, however, is that the electrolyte must provide both sufficient ion transport and adequate mechanical performance.
This technology addresses that challenge through a chemically tunable polyoxazoline network designed to balance ionic mobility and mechanical properties. The electrolyte can therefore move beyond a purely passive ion-transport role and become part of a multifunctional structural energy-storage material.
Key Advantages
- Multifunctional polymer network combining ionic conduction and mechanical performance
- Polyoxazoline chemistry allows molecular architecture and crosslinking density to be tailored
- Crosslinking with epoxy resins creates a mechanically robust interconnected network
- Secondary amine groups can reduce or eliminate the need for a separate curing agent
- Ionic transport properties can be adapted through lithium salts and other ionic components
- Network flexibility and stiffness can be tuned using different crosslinkers
- Applicable to flexible and wearable energy-storage systems
- Potential integration into structural supercapacitors, structural batteries and multifunctional composites
Applications
- Structural supercapacitors
- Flexible and wearable supercapacitors
- Structural lithium-ion batteries
- Energy-storage systems using solid polymer electrolytes
- Flexible electronics and wearable devices
- Energy-storage structures integrated into automotive body components
- Multifunctional energy-storage composites for aircraft and aerospace structures
- Load-bearing composite panels with integrated energy-storage functionality
Relevant Industries
- Energy Storage
- Battery and Supercapacitor Technologies
- Automotive and Electric Vehicles
- Aerospace and Aviation
- Advanced Composite Materials
- Flexible Electronics
- Wearable Technologies
- Functional Polymers
Technology Readiness Level & Validation
Technology Readiness Level: TRL 3
A proof-of-concept study has been completed, demonstrating the feasibility of a polymer-based electrolyte approach with enhanced mechanical structural characteristics and potential applicability to energy-storage systems on flexible substrates.
No physical product prototype has yet been produced. Testing and validation activities remain in progress. The current development stage therefore focuses on laboratory-level development of the material and system concept rather than validated device-, component- or industrial-level performance.
The technology was developed within a TÜBİTAK 1001 research project.
Intellectual Property
European Patent: EP4189764B1
European Patent Publication: EP4189764A1
International Patent Publication: WO2022025832A1
International Application: PCT/TR2020/050662
Japanese Patent: JP7679451B2
US Patent Publication: US20240014441A1
Patent Title: A Polymer-Based Electrolyte And Method For Obtaining The Same
Priority / International Filing Date: 27 July 2020
International Publication Date: 3 February 2022
European Patent Grant Date: 26 June 2024
Japanese Patent Grant Date: 19 May 2025
Applicant / Assignee: Sabancı University
Protection / Filing Coverage Reported in the Technology Form: United States, Japan, Germany, Türkiye
Commercialisation Status
The technology is currently at the research stage and is available for licensing. Further development requires integration of the material concept into target energy-storage systems and validation through application-specific use cases to advance its technology readiness.
Collaboration Opportunities
- Licensing
- Scientific consultancy
- Joint R&D and co-development
- Use-case development to advance TRL
Potential partners may include solid-state and polymer-electrolyte battery developers, supercapacitor manufacturers, organisations working on structural energy storage and multifunctional composites, automotive and aerospace manufacturers, and developers of flexible or wearable electronic systems.
Promising joint-development areas include integration of the electrolyte into practical cell architectures, simultaneous optimisation of mechanical and electrochemical performance, development of flexible or structural energy-storage demonstrators, and TRL advancement through application-specific use cases. Hydrogel-containing formulations may also be explored as a future development route where higher ionic conductivity is required than can be achieved using a fully solid-state formulation.
Inventors
Inventors: Leila Haghighi Poudeh, Mehmet Yıldız, Yusuf Ziya Menceloğlu, Bekir Dizman, Serkan Ünal
Contact
For licensing, joint R&D or other collaboration opportunities related to this technology, please contact Sabancı University Technology Transfer Office (SUATT) at dpe.suatt@sabanciuniv.edu.