Synthesis and characterization of BxPU-Liy: A novel polyurethane-based solid electrolyte with disrupted crystallinity for enhanced ion transport

•Synthesized a novel polyurethane-based SPE system, named BxPU-Liy.•B5PU-Li20 exhibits ionic conductivity of 3.28 × 10-5 S cm−1 at room temperature.•B5PU-Li20 exhibits ionic conductivity of 2.0 × 10-4 S cm−1 at 40 °C.•Introduced naphthol to reduce crystallinity and enhance lithium ion transport.•Employed DFT computational simulations to explore intrinsic properties. In response to the demand for high-performance and safe batteries in the field of energy storage, a novel polyurethane-based solid electrolyte system, BxPU-Liy, has been developed. Crystallinity had been effectively reduced by incorporating 1,1′-binaphthol with a special molecular structure leading enhanced ion migration. Among that, B5PU-Li20 demonstrates good mechanical properties and thermal stability, with an ionic conductivity of 3.28 × 10-5 S cm−1 at room temperature, increasing to 2.0 × 10-4 S cm−1 at 40 °C. Additionally, this material exhibits excellent electrochemical performance and battery cycling capabilities, offering a new direction for the development of high-performance battery technology, with potential applications in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage systems.