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Published on: August 12, 2013
Ether-Functionalized Polybenzimidazole Composite Separators for Enhanced Performance and Sustainable Lithium-Ion
Zhike Li1, Wenxuan Li1, Hongmin Zhang1
1Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of New Light Alloys, School of Mechanical Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Ether-functionalized polybenzimidazole (PBI) composite separators improve lithium-ion battery performance. These novel separators offer enhanced ionic conductivity and superior cycling stability for advanced energy storage applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Polybenzimidazole (PBI) offers excellent thermal and chemical stability for lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators.
- Poor solubility and processability hinder PBI's widespread application in LIBs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel ether-functionalized PBI.
- To fabricate and evaluate three-layer composite separators (PBIPHPE) for LIBs.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of PBI/PVDF-HFP blends onto a polyethylene (PE) substrate.
- Fabrication of three-layer composite separators (PBIPHPE).
- Performance testing of LIBs using PBIPHPE separators, including cycling stability and rate capability.
- Molecular dynamics simulations to investigate Li+ transport.
Main Results:
- The PBIPHPE separator demonstrated high porosity (73.1%), electrolyte uptake (211.2%), and ionic conductivity (1.125 mS/cm).
- No dimensional change was observed after thermal treatment at 150 °C for 0.5 h.
- LIBs with PBIPHPE separators showed an initial capacity of 157.7 mAh/g, retained 86.0% after 400 cycles at 2 C, and exhibited minimal capacity decay across various rates.
Conclusions:
- Ether-functionalized PBIPHPE composite separators significantly enhance Li+ transport and cycling stability in LIBs.
- This work presents a promising strategy for developing high-performance LIB separators.
