In the present study,
surface amino-functionalized silica nanofibers
(
f
-SiO
2
NFs, average diameter = 400 and
1000 nm) are used as one-dimensional (1-D) fillers of ionic liquid
(IL)-based quasisolid electrolytes. On adding
f
-SiO
2
NFs to an IL
(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, EMITFSA)
containing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-amide (LiTFSA), the
well-dispersed 1-D nanofillers easily form a three-dimensional network
structure in the IL, function as physical cross-linkers, and increase
the viscosity of the composites, consequently providing a quasisolid
state at a 3.5 wt % fraction of the NFs. Rheological measurements
demonstrate that the prepared composites exhibit “gel-like”
characteristics at 40–150 °C. All prepared composites
show high ionic conductivities, on the order of 10
–3
S cm
–1
, around room temperature. To investigate
the additive effect of
f
-SiO
2
NFs in the
composites, the lithium transference numbers are also evaluated. It
is found that thinner NFs enhance the transference numbers of the
composites. In addition, quasisolid lithium-ion cells containing the
prepared composites demonstrate relatively high rate characteristics
and good cycling performance at high temperature (125 °C).
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