Lignin‐Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes: Lignin‐Graft‐Poly(ethylene glycol)

Lignin is an aromatic‐rich biomass polymer that is cheap, abundant, and sustainable. However, its application in the solid electrolyte field is rare due to challenges in well‐defined polymer synthesis. Herein, the synthesis of lignin‐graft‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and its conductivity test for a solid electrolyte application are demonstrated. The main steps of synthesis include functionalization of natural lignin's hydroxyl to alkene, followed by graft‐copolymerization of PEG thiol to the lignin via photoredox thiol‐ene reaction. Two lignin‐graft‐PEGs are prepared having 22 wt% lignin (lignin‐graft‐PEG 550) and 34 wt% lignin (lignin‐graft‐PEG 2000). Then, new polymer electrolytes for conductivity tests are prepared via addition of lithium bis‐trifluoromethanesulfonimide. The polymer graft electrolytes exhibit ionic conductivity up to 1.4 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 35 °C. The presence of lignin moderately impacts conductivity at elevated temperature compared to homopolymer PEG. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity of lignin‐graft‐PEG at ambient temperature is significantly higher than homopolymer PEG precedents. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is grafted onto natural lignin to synthesize a new solid polymer electrolyte, lignin‐graft‐PEG. The new polymer is biomass‐based and a promising candidate in lithium battery applications. The lignin‐graft‐PEG shows higher ionic conductivity than homopolymer PEG at ambient temperature. This feature solves low conductivity issue of homoPEG at ambient temperature.