Method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell having a separator membrane for separation of electrodes in the electrochemical cell and a device thereof
The invention discloses a method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell having a polymer separator membrane for separation of electrodes in the electrochemical cell, including providing a cathode and providing a polymer separator membrane. At least one cycle of irradiating the polymer separator membrane is performed by an energy beam under a radiation dose ranging between 50 and 200 kGy to effect a cross-linking in the polymer separator membrane. The polymer separator membrane is maintained at a temperature between 30° C. and 70° C. An anode is then provided. Subsequently, the polymer separator membrane is compressed between the cathode and the anode. An electrolyte is provided to form the electrochemical cell.
1 . A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell having a polymer separator membrane for separation of electrodes in the electrochemical cell comprising:
providing a cathode;
providing a polymer separator membrane;
performing a first irradiation to the polymer separator membrane using an energy beam at a first radiation dose for a first duration;
performing a second irradiation at a second radiation dose ranging from 100 kGy to 200 kGy using the energy beam at a second duration, wherein the first radiation dose is lower than the second irradiation, and the first duration is different from the second duration;
providing an anode;
compressing the polymer separator membrane between the cathode and the anode, wherein the polymer separator membrane has a shrinkage rate less than 30% at 140° C.; and
providing an electrolyte to form the electrochemical cell;
wherein the polymer separator membrane is maintained at a temperature between 3° and 70° C. during the first and second irradiations and the sum of the first duration and the second duration is 1-20 hours.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after performing at least one cycle of irradiation on the polymer separator membrane by the energy beam the polymer separator membrane has a gel content of cross-linked polymer separator membrane between 30% and 90%.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer separator membrane is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylidene difluoride, polyimide, polyacrylonitrile or combinations thereof.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein after the compressing the polymer separator membrane between the cathode and the anode, the polymer separator membrane has a thickness in a range between 3 and 30 μm.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a polymer separator membrane further comprising
applying polymeric binders on opposing sides of the polymer separator membrane; and
disposing a plurality of ceramic particles in the polymeric binders.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the ceramic particles is selected from the group consisting of CaO nanoparticles, MgO nanoparticles, Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles, B 2 O 3 nanoparticles, SiO 2 nanoparticles, ZrO 2 nanoparticles, SnO 2 nanoparticles, nanoclay, or a combination thereof.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the polymeric binder is selected from the groups consisting of silane, acrylate, epoxy, urethane, polyolefin, ether, and a combination thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing the polymer separator membrane further comprising:
manufacturing the polymer separator membrane by wet or dry extrusion, electrospinning, melt spinning, or a combination thereof.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing at least one cycle of irradiation on the polymer separator membrane by the energy beam is an electron beam.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing at least one cycle of irradiation on the polymer separator membrane by an energy beam is a gamma ray.