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Thermal-Switchable, Trifunctional Ceramic-Hydrogel Nanocomposites Enable Full-Lifecycle Security in Practical Battery
Lei Li1, Ben Fang2, Dongsheng Ren3
1State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
ACS Nano
|June 16, 2022
Summary
A novel ceramic-hydrogel nanocomposite prevents lithium-ion battery fires by managing heat and providing fire insulation. This smart material ensures safety throughout the battery
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Thermal runaway (TR) in large-format lithium-ion batteries poses significant fire and explosion risks.
- Existing thermal management solutions often lack integrated fire insulation and full-lifecycle security.
- Need for advanced materials that can prevent overheating during fast charging and mitigate TR events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a smart ceramic-hydrogel nanocomposite for integrated thermal management, cooling, and fire insulation.
- To enhance the safety and full-lifecycle security of lithium-ion battery systems.
- To develop a self-adaptive, scalable material for practical safety assurance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of glass-ceramic nanobelt sponges coupled with polymer-nanoparticle hydrogels.
- Characterization of mechanical properties (flexibility, compressibility, fatigue resistance).
- Evaluation of thermal properties, including enthalpy, thermal conductivity, and high-temperature resistance.
- Testing of the nanocomposite's performance in preventing overheating and mitigating TR propagation.
Main Results:
- Developed flexible, fatigue-resistant ceramic-hydrogel nanocomposites with thermal-switchable properties.
- Demonstrated efficient thermal management preventing overheating during fast charging due to high enthalpy.
- Showcased effective cooling and TR propagation mitigation upon water release, leaving a low-conductivity ceramic matrix (42 mW m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 200 °C) with high thermal resistance (up to 1300 °C).
Conclusions:
- The smart ceramic-hydrogel nanocomposite offers integrated thermal management, cooling, and fire insulation for lithium-ion batteries.
- The material exhibits self-adaptive behavior, environmental friendliness, and manufacturing scalability.
- This versatile material is highly attractive for practical safety assurance applications in energy storage.
