CERAMIC COATING ON SEPARATOR FOR BATTERIES
Separators, high performance electrochemical devices, such as, batteries and capacitors, including the aforementioned separators, and systems and methods for fabricating the same are provided. In at least one aspect, a separator is provided. The separator comprises a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The separator further comprises a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface. The first ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in a range from about 1,000 nanometers to about 5,000 nanometers. The separator further comprises a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first ceramic-containing layer. The second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.
1 . A separator, comprising:
a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;
a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface, wherein the first ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in a range from about 1,000 nanometers to about 5,000 nanometers; and
a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first ceramic-containing layer, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.
2 . The separator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface, wherein the third ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in a range from about 1,000 nanometers to about 5,000 nanometers; and
a fourth ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the third ceramic-containing layer, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.
3 . The separator of claim 2 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer and the third ceramic-containing layer comprise ceramic particles dispersed in a polymeric binder.
4 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer has an average pore diameter in a range from about 30 nanometer to about 60 nanometers and the second ceramic-containing layer has an average pore diameter in a range from about 30 nanometer to about 60 nanometers.
5 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate is a microporous ion-conducting polymeric layer.
6 . The separator of claim 2 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer and the second ceramic-containing layer each independently comprise a material selected from porous aluminum oxide, porous aluminum oxyhydroxide, porous-ZrO 2 , porous-HfO 2 , porous-SiO 2 , porous-MgO, porous-TiO 2 , porous-Ta 2 O 5 , porous-Nb 2 O 5 , porous-LiAlO 2 , porous-BaTiO 3 , ion-conducting garnet, anti-ion-conducting perovskites, porous glass dielectric, or combinations thereof.
7 . The separator of claim 6 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer comprises a binder.
8 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in the range from about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.
9 . The separator of claim 8 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in the range from about 1,000 nanometers and 2,000 nanometers.
10 . The separator of claim 9 , wherein the polymer substrate has a thickness in a range from about 3 microns to about 25 microns.
11 . The separator of claim 10 , wherein the polymer substrate has a thickness in a range of about 3 microns to about 12 microns.
12 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate is a polyolefinic membrane.
13 . The separator of claim 12 , wherein the polyolefinic membrane is a polyethylene membrane or a polypropylene membrane.
14 . The separator of claim 1 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer comprises porous aluminum oxide.
15 . The separator of claim 14 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer further comprises zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, or combinations thereof.
16 . A battery comprising:
an anode containing at least one of lithium metal, lithium-alloy, graphite, silicon-containing graphite, nickel, copper, tin, indium, silicon, or combinations thereof;
a cathode; and
a separator according to claim 1 disposed between the anode and the cathode.
17 . The battery of claim 16 , further comprising:
an electrolyte in ionic communication with the anode and the cathode via the separator.
18 . The battery of claim 16 , further comprising:
a positive current collector contacting the cathode; and
a negative current collector contacting the anode, wherein the positive current collector and the negative current collector are each independently comprises materials selected from aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), silicon (Si), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
19 . A separator, comprising:
a porous ceramic body, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the porous ceramic body has a thickness in a range from about 2,000 nanometers to about 10,000 nanometers; and
a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface of the porous ceramic body, wherein the first ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers; and
a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface of the porous ceramic body, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.
20 . The separator of claim 19 , wherein the porous ceramic body comprises ceramic particles dispersed in a polymeric binder.