Poly(ether ether ketone) Conferred Polyolefin Separators with High Dimensional Thermal Stability for Lithium-Ion...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Traditional polyolefin separators in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) suffer from poor electrolyte wetting and limited thermal stability.
• These limitations impede the advancement and safety of LIB technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and durable coating for polyolefin separators using poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK).
• To overcome the inherent limitations of conventional LIB separators and enhance electrochemical performance.

Main Methods:

• A modified phase inversion technique was employed to coat polyolefin separators with PEEK.
• The mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical properties of the coated separators were evaluated.

Main Results:

• PEEK-coated separators demonstrated mechanical properties comparable to unmodified polyolefin separators.
• The coated separators exhibited excellent thermal stability up to 200 °C and over 100% enhancement in ionic conductivity.
• Prototype half cells using PEEK-coated separators showed significant improvements in electrochemical performance.

Conclusions:

• The modified phase inversion technique provides a practical method for functionalizing polyolefin separators with PEEK.
• These enhanced separators represent a promising advancement for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.