Skinny Strong Electrolyte Membrane For Batteries

– Commercial –

The strong electrolyte membrane is made utilizing a dry course of. It’s skinny, improves vitality density, reduces battery measurement, and helps all-solid-state batteries.

The Electronics and Telecommunications Analysis Institute (ETRI) created a strong electrolyte separation membrane utilizing a binder materials that fibrillates when subjected to mechanical shear pressure. This was achieved by way of a solvent-free mixing course of with strong electrolyte powder. The ensuing membrane is skinny and sturdy.

Sometimes, solid-state battery membranes are made a number of hundred micrometers (µm) to 1 millimeter (mm) thick to boost sturdiness when utilizing strong electrolytes. Nonetheless, this thickness reduces vitality density in comparison with polymer separation membranes.

– Commercial –

To deal with this, the analysis group used a binder materials that fibrillates underneath mechanical shear, enabling the manufacturing of a strong electrolyte membrane simply 18µm thick—similar to lithium-ion battery membranes. This was achieved by way of a dry manufacturing course of.

In consequence, they diminished cell quantity whereas rising vitality density and efficiency. The brand new membrane improves vitality density by as much as 10 instances in comparison with a 1 mm thick strong electrolyte membrane.

This analysis allows the event of all-solid-state secondary batteries with increased vitality density by enhancing ion switch between cost and discharge. It additionally reduces cell quantity and weight utilizing a strong electrolyte membrane as skinny as polymer separation membranes.

The examine recognized a hyperlink between the molecular weight of the binder materials and the power of its entanglement, offering a course of guideline for optimizing strong electrolyte membranes. This enables for cost-effective manufacturing with exact binder quantities.

ETRI researchers optimized a mechanical shear course of to maximise the entanglement of the fibrous binder, a key issue within the dry course of, enabling the manufacturing of strong electrolyte membranes.

By analyzing the construction of the polymeric binder, the researchers quantified the connection between its molecular weight and the diploma of entanglement throughout fibrillation. By fine-tuning course of temperature and shearing time, they achieved as much as 98% polymer binder fibrillation, forming an entangled binder community.

Whereas this examine centered on thinning solid-state electrolytes, ETRI researchers plan to additional improve ion conductivity and enhance interface stability with electrodes. In addition they developed a pouch-type cell utilizing the strong electrolyte membrane and reported cost/discharge outcomes, indicating potential for commercialization.

Reference: Seokyoon Yoon et al, Regulating Entanglement Networks of Fibrillatable Binders for Sub‐20‐µm Thick, Sturdy, Dry‐Processed Strong Electrolyte Membranes in All‐Strong‐State Batteries, Small (2024). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202407882