Microporous membranes and methods for producing and using such membranes

1. A membrane comprising (a) a first layer, the first layer comprising 40.0 wt. % to 85.0 wt. % of an isotactic polypropylene based on the weight of the first layer, the isotactic polypropylene having an Mw≧6.0×10 5 ; (b) a second layer comprising polyolefin; and (c) a third layer comprising 40.0 wt. % to 85.0 wt. % of an isotactic polypropylene based on the weight of the third layer, the isotactic polypropylene having an Mw≧6.0×10 5 ; wherein the membrane is microporous; and wherein the second layer is located between the first and third layers.

2. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the first layer further comprises 15.0 wt. % to 60.0 wt. % of a first polyethylene having an Mw≦1.0×10 6 and ≦45.0 wt. % a second polyethylene having an Mw>1.0×10 6 , the weight percents being based on the weight of the first layer, and wherein the first and third layers have substantially equal thickness and substantially the same composition.

3. The membrane of claim 2 , wherein the membrane has an electrochemical stability ≦1.0×10 2 mAh, a meltdown temperature ≧170.0° C., an electrolytic solution absorption speed ≦3.0×10 2 seconds, and an absorbed water content ≦10.0 wt. %, based on the weight of the membrane.

4. The membrane of claim 2 , wherein the second layer comprises 55.0 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of the first polyethylene and 25.0 wt. % to 45.0 wt. % of the second polyethylene, based on the weight of the second layer, and wherein the first polyethylene has a melting point ≧132.0° C. and the second polyethylene has a melting point ≧134.0° C.

5. The membrane of claim 2 , wherein the polypropylene has an Mw in the range of from 0.9×10 6 to 2.0×10 6 , an MWD≦6.0, and a ΔHm≧90.0 J/g.

6. The membrane of claim 5 , wherein the polypropylene has an elongational viscosity of at least 5.0×10 5 Pa sec at a temperature of 230° C. and a strain rate of 25 sec −1 ; a Trouton's ratio of at least 15 when measured at a temperature of 230° C. and a strain rate of 25 sec −1 ; an MFR≦0.01 dg/min; and an amount extractable species ≦0.5 wt. % based on the weight of the polypropylene.

7. The membrane of claim 2 , wherein (a) the second layer is in contact with the first layer and the third layer; (b) the membrane's total thickness is in the range of 10.0 μm to 25.0 μm; (c) the second layer has a thickness of 70.0% to 90.0% of the membrane's total thickness; and (d) the thickness of the first and third layers is each in the range of 5.0% to 15.0% of the membrane's total thickness.

8. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the membrane has one or more of a normalized permeability ≦6.5×10 2 seconds/100 cm 3 /20 μm, a porosity ≧25%, a normalized pin puncture strength ≧2.0×10 3 mN/20 μm, an MD tensile strength ≧8.5×10 4 kPa, a TD tensile strength ≧8.0×10 4 kPa, MD tensile elongation ≧50%, a TD tensile elongation ≧50.0%, an electrolytic solution absorption speed ≦2.5×10 2 seconds, and an electrochemical stability ≦50.0 mAh.

9. The membrane of claim 2 , wherein the first layer comprises 65.0 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of the polypropylene, wherein the second layer comprises ≦10.0 wt. % polypropylene, and wherein the membranes 105° C. heat shrinkage ≦1.0% in at least one planar direction.

10. A method for producing a microporous membrane, comprising,

(a) forming a first mixture comprising a first diluent and a first polymer, the first polymer comprising 40.0 wt. % to 85.0 wt. % of an isotactic polypropylene based on the weight of the first polymer, the isotactic polypropylene having an Mw≧6.0×10 5 ;

(b) forming a second mixture comprising a second diluent and a second polymer;

(c) forming a third mixture comprising a third diluent and a third polymer, the third polymer comprising 40.0 wt. % to 85.0 wt. % of a isotactic polypropylene based on the weight of the third polymer, the isotactic polypropylene having an Mw≧6.0×10 5 ;

(d) producing a sheet comprising a first layer comprising the first mixture, a third layer comprising the third mixture, and a second layer comprising the second mixture, the second layer being located between the first and third layers; and

(e) removing at least a portion of the first, second, and third diluents from the sheet.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and third mixtures comprise 50.0 wt. % to 70.0 wt. % of the isotactic polypropylene, and wherein the isotactic polypropylene has a ΔHm≧90.0 J/g, an Mw in the range of 0.9×10 6 to 2.0×10 6 , and an MWD in the range of 2.0 to 6.0.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first mixture further comprises ≧15.0 wt. % of a first polyethylene having an Mw≦1.0×10 6 and ≦45.0 wt. % a second polyethylene having an Mw>1.0×10 6 , the weight percents being based on the weight of the first mixture.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second polymer comprises 55.0 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of the first polyethylene and 25.0 wt. % to 45.0 wt. % of the second polyethylene, based on the weight of the second polymer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second layer further comprises polypropylene.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising stretching the sheet in at least one direction before and/or after step (e), the stretching after step (e) being conducted while the sheet is exposed to a temperature in the range of 119° C. to 128° C.

16. A battery comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and at least one separator located between the anode and cathode, the separator comprising first and third layers of substantially equal thickness and a second layer located between the first and third layers, the first and third layers each comprising (i) 40.0 wt. % to 85.0 wt. % of an isotactic polypropylene having an Mw≧5.0×10 5 , an MWD in the range of from about 2.0 to about 6.0, and a ΔHm≧90.0 J/g, (ii) 15.0 wt. % to 60.0 wt. % of a first polyethylene having an Mw≦1.0×10 6 , and (iii) ≦45.0 wt. % a second polyethylene having an Mw>1.0×10 6 based on the weight of the layer; the second layer comprising (i) 55.0 wt. % to 75.0 wt. % of the first polyethylene and (ii) 25.0 wt. % to 45.0 wt. % of the second polyethylene, based on the weight of the second layer.