Polymethylmethacrylate/Polyacrylonitrile Membranes via Centrifugal Spinning as Separator in Li-Ion Batteries

Abstract

Electrospun nanofiber membranes have been extensively studied as separators in Li-ion batteries due to their large porosity, unique pore structure, and high electrolyte uptake. However, the electrospinning process has some serious drawbacks, such as low spinning rate and high production cost. The centrifugal spinning technique can be used as a fast, cost-effective and safe technique to fabricate high-performance fiber-based separators. In this work, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes with different blend ratios were produced via centrifugal spinning and characterized by using different electrochemical techniques for use as separators in Li-ion batteries. Compared with commercial microporous polyolefin membrane, centrifugally-spun PMMA/PAN membranes had larger ionic conductivity, higher electrochemical oxidation limit, and lower interfacial resistance with lithium. Centrifugally-spun PMMA/PAN membrane separators were assembled into Li/LiFePO4 cells and these cells delivered high capacities and exhibited good cycling performance at room temperature. In addition, cells using centrifugally-spun PMMA/PAN membrane separators showed superior C-rate performance compared to those using microporous polypropylene (PP) membranes. It is, therefore, demonstrated that centrifugally-spun PMMA/PAN membranes are promising separator candidate for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

Insights into the Effect of Structural Heterogeneity in Carbonized Electrospun Fibrous Mats for Flow Battery Electrodes by X‐Ray Tomography

“…In biomedical applications, recent work has utilized electrospun polycaprolactone/gelatin composite materials for guided bone regeneration, drug delivery in soft tissue, and wound dressings based on biodegradable polymers such as polyetherimide, polylactic acid, and others . In electrochemistry, electrospun materials are being employed in a range of devices, such as lithium‐ion battery separators . These mats can also be carbonized to produce electrically conductive materials for use as Li‐ion battery anodes, and gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells .…”

Comparatively Thermal and Crystalline Study of Poly(methyl‐methacrylate)/Polyacrylonitrile Hybrids: Core–Shell Hollow Fibers, Porous Fibers, and Thin Films

“…In order to produce core–shell hollow fibers by coaxial electrospinning, PMMA, which is spinnable material and incompatible with PAN, was used for core materials in electrospun fibers . What is more, PMMA/PAN homogenous composites and core–shell fibers showed high thermal stability, ionic conductivity, and electrolyte uptake in the applications of battery‐separator applications . Usually, the hollow nanofibers were prepared by selective removal of core materials of the core–shell fibers, and the porous nanofibers were produced by immersing in a cryogenic liquid to remove solvent in the fibers, or by removing other components in the polymer .…”

“…[4,5,37] What is more, PMMA/PAN homogenous composites and core-shell fibers showed high thermal stability, ionic conductivity, and electrolyte uptake in the applications of battery-separator applications. [39,40] Usually, the hollow nanofibers were prepared by selective removal of core materials of the core-shell fibers, [41] and the porous nanofibers were produced by immersing in a cryogenic liquid to remove solvent in the fibers, [42] or by removing other components in the polymer. [43][44][45] The preparation of the reported core-shell hollow or porous samples included two procedures, i.e., processing and pore forming procedure.…”

Electrochemical Properties of LLTO/Fluoropolymer-Shell Cellulose-Core Fibrous Membrane for Separator of High Performance Lithium-Ion Battery

“…Electrospinning is reported as one of the efficient methods to improve the wettability performance of the fibrous membrane due to its low diameter and high porosity [11,12]. In our previous study, a cellulose/PVDF-HFP nanofibrous membrane was successfully prepared by co-axial electrospinning.…”