A flexible Li polymer primary cell with a novel gel electrolyte based on poly(acrylonitrile)

The performance of a Li polymer primary cell with fire-retardant poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN)-based gel electrolytes is reported. By optimizing electrodes, electrolytes, the packaging material, and the structural design of the polymer cell, we succeeded in developing a “film-like” Li polymer primary cell with sufficient performance for practical use. The cell is flexible and less than 0.5 mm thick, which makes it suitable for a power source for some smart devices, such as an IC card. Fast cation conduction in the gel electrolyte minimizes the drop of the discharge capacity even at −20 °C. The high chemical stability of the gel electrolytes and the new packaging material allow the self-discharge rate to be limited to under 4.3%, which is equivalent to that of conventional coin-shaped or cylindrical Li-MnO2 cells.