Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new class of organic materials called state-independent electrolytes (SIEs) that maintain high ionic conductivity even after solidifying. This breakthrough could lead to safer, lightweight solid-state devices with improved performance across a wide temperature range, overcoming the 'freezing out' effect that has hampered solid-state battery development.
Scientists from the University of Oxford and partner institutions have created a new class of organic materials called state-independent electrolytes . This discovery challenges a fundamental rule of electrochemistry: that ions move much more slowly when a liquid solidifies.
Interestingly, SIEs maintain peak ionic performance, moving charges through solid structures at the same effortless fluid speed as in liquid form.“We’ve shown that organic materials can be engineered so that the movement of ions doesn’t ‘freeze out’ when the material solidifies. This opens new possibilities for safer, lightweight solid-state devices that work efficiently over wide temperature ranges,” said Juliet Barclay, PhD student and first author on the study.Schematic illustration of the SIE solid-state superstructure and properties. The mobile ions diffuse through a network of columns of the organic counterions . Credit: Paul McGonigal.Material’s unique structure These new organic materials maintain high ionic conductivity even after solidifying. In a standard battery, ions flow through a liquid. When that liquid crystallizes or freezes, the molecules lock together, trapping the ions like cars stuck in a sudden blizzard. This drastically slows the movement of ions — a phenomenon known as “freezing out.The freeze-out effect has been the primary barrier to developing solid-state batteries as powerful as their liquid-filled counterparts.The team, led by Professor Paul McGonigal and Barclay, solved this by reimagining molecular architecture in SIEs. They designed disc-shaped molecules with long, flexible sidechains — a structure similar to a “wheel with soft bristles.”By spreading positive charge evenly across a flat, disc-shaped center, the molecules avoid “trapping” their negative ion partners through tight electrical bonds. When the material solidifies, these discs stack into rigid, self-assembled columns, while their long, flexible side-chains act like “soft bristles.” These bristles maintain a permeable, liquid-like environment that allows negative ions to flow freely through the solid structure, ensuring high conductivity even when the material is physically rigid.“We designed our materials hoping that ions would move through the flexible, self-assembled network in an interesting way,” said McGonigal. “When we tested them, we were amazed to find that the behaviour is unchanged across liquid, liquid-crystal, and solid phases. It was a really spectacular result – and we were happy to find it can be repeated with a few different types of ions,” McGonigal explained. Development of future devicesThe discovery opens the door to a best-of-both-worlds manufacturing process.Manufacturers can heat the electrolyte and pour it into a battery as a liquid, ensuring it seeps into every nook and cranny of the electrodes.Once cooled, it becomes a stable solid, eliminating the leakage and fire risks associated with traditional liquid batteries — all while maintaining peak performance.Because these materials are lightweight, flexible, and potentially renewable, they are ideal candidates for next-generation solid-state batteries, wearable sensors, and smart-glass technologies. Unlike traditional inorganic materials, these organic solids provide a safer, more versatile alternative for high-performance, sustainable electronics.Building on this success, the Oxford research team is focused on boosting the conductivity and adaptability of these materials. Their goal is to integrate them into advanced hardware and explore their potential to power the next generation of computing devices.The findings were published in the journal Science on December 18.
Electrolytes Solid-State Batteries Ionic Conductivity Materials Science Electrochemistry
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