Thermal-Switchable, Trifunctional Ceramic–Hydrogel Nanocomposites Enable Full-Lifecycle Security in Practical Battery Systems

Abstract

Thermal runaway (TR) failures of large-format lithium-ion battery systems related to fires and explosions have become a growing concern. Here, we design a smart ceramic–hydrogel nanocomposite that provides integrated thermal management, cooling, and fire insulation functionalities and enables full-lifecycle security. The glass–ceramic nanobelt sponges exhibit high mechanical flexibility with 80% reversible compressibility and high fatigue resistance, which can firmly couple with the polymer–nanoparticle hydrogels and form thermal-switchable nanocomposites. In the operating mode, the high enthalpy of the nanocomposites enables efficient thermal management, thereby preventing local temperature spikes and overheating under extremely fast charging conditions. In the case of mechanical or thermal abuse, the stored water can be immediately released, leaving behind a highly flexible ceramic matrix with low thermal conductivity (42 mW m–1 K–1 at 200 °C) and high-temperature resistance (up to 1300 °C), thus effectively cooling the TR battery and alleviating the devastating TR propagation. The versatility, self-adaptivity, environmental friendliness, and manufacturing scalability make this material highly attractive for practical safety assurance applications.

3D Electrospinning of Al2O3/ZrO2 Fibrous Aerogels for Multipurpose Thermal Insulation

“…1d, Figure S4, Supporting Information). Similar ribbon-shaped bres have been reported in a wide range of ceramic systems, including ZrO 2 /SiO 2 [30], SnO 2 [31], Fe-Al-Oxides [32], etc., which is believed related to the radial collapse of the hollow nano ber structures [33]. The proposed mechanism is that such ber morphology is most likely formed at the very beginning of the electrospinning process, when the surface of the solution jet dries to form a skin layer that rapidly collapses and changes the ber cross-section from circular to at [34,35].…”

“…Such small-sized crystallites are connected by small-angle grain boundaries, twin boundaries, and amorphous regions, which scatter the strain and promote stress dissipation to allow large deformation [53]. Moreover, it has been suggested by nite element modeling that nanobelt-shaped bers can lower stress levels better than cylindrical bers [30]. Thus, the at-shaped ber cross-section jointly contributes to its superior exibility.…”

Interfacial engineered superelastic metal-organic framework aerogels with van-der-Waals barrier channels for nerve agents decomposition

“…As shown in Fig. 3e, after loading an airflow at a constant rate of 1 m/s upon the Z axis of the structural model, we monitored the velocity distribution of fluid, as well as the von Mises stress and total deformation of the solid resulting from the fluid pressure 48 . The dominant red color in the airflow field suggested that the velocity almost remained unchanged in the aerogels.…”

Carbon Nanotube/Hygroscopic Salt Nanocomposites with Dual‐Functionality of Effective Cooling and Fire Resistance for Safe and Ultrahigh‐Rate Operation of Practical Lithium‐Ion Batteries

“…[29][30][31][32][33] Furthermore, PCMs would become flammable materials with danger by accelerating the thermal runaway propagation once the generated heat exceeds their maximum heat dissipation capacity. [34,35] Water, a commonly used liquid that possesses a large latent heat of liquid-vapor phase transition (≈2260 kJ kg −1 ), has also been considered as an efficient thermal management material. [36] Hydrogels containing water content can achieve an obvious cooling effect by utilizing the water evaporation to take away heat, and their heat dissipation coefficient can be as high as ≈50 W m −2 K −1 .…”