Ionic Conductivity of Dual‐Phase Polymer Electrolytes Comprised of NBR/SBR Latex Films Swollen with Lithium Salt Solutions

Dual‐phase polymer electrolytes (DPE) with high ionic conductivity and good mechanical strength were prepared by swelling poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene) rubber (NBR) and poly(styrene‐co‐butadiene) rubber (SBR) mixed latex films with lithium salt solutions ( e.g. , 1 M ). The latex films retain particle morphology in the solid state. The NBR phase (formed from fused NBR latex particles) is polar and is impregnated selectively with polar lithium salt solutions, yielding ion‐conductive channels, whereas the SBR phase (formed from fused SBR latex particles) is nonpolar and is not impregnated, providing a mechanically supportive matrix. The ionic conductivity of the DPE increased dramatically with increasing content of lithium salt solution, and higher amounts of solution were imbibed with increasing content of NBR relative to SBR. Several factors which affect the ionic conductivity of this system were examined, and the highest ionic conductivity (>10 −3 S/cm) was obtained when either an NBR/SBR 70/30 (w/w) or a 50/50 (w/w) latex film was saturated with 1 M or 1 M solution. Ion‐conductive behavior changed critically with increasing lithium salt solution uptake. At low levels of lithium salt solution uptake, evidence suggested that ionic conductivity of the absorbed lithium salt solution was strongly influenced by the presence of the NBR in the ion‐conductive channel, but at higher levels, the effects of the NBR were reduced and “free” lithium salt solution was present.