A biodegradable nano‐composite membrane for high‐safety and durable lithium‐ion batteries

Abstract

Abstract As a key component of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), separator plays a crucial role in the performance and safety of LIBs. In this paper, a cellulose‐based porous membrane modified by nano CaCO3 is prepared conveniently by electrospinning. The membrane exhibits rich fibrous porous networks and uniform distribution of nanoparticles. Strengthened by CaCO3, the tensile strength of the cellulose porous membrane elevates from 4.7 ± 0.4 MPa to 7.7 ± 0.7 MPa. Besides, the modified membranes possess improved thermal stability and can maintain their original size after treatment at 150°C and 180°C. Also, the electrolyte uptake of cellulose/CaCO3 membrane is 73% higher than that of the pure cellulose membrane. Thus, the ionic conductivity of membrane achieves 1.08 mS cm−1 and the electrochemical window is about 4.8 V, which meets the practical requirements of LIBs. Significantly, with LiFePO4/Li battery this membrane can run for 230 cycles with a capacity retention of 97.4% and a discharge capacity of 149.0 mAh g−1, demonstrating the huge potential for high safety and next‐generation LIBs.

Keywords

• ionic conductivity
• lithium
• membranes
• thermal stability