Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Alkaline composite film as a separator for rechargeable lithium batteries

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report a new type of separator film for application in rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries. The films are made of mainly alkaline calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and a small amount of polymer binder. Owing to porosity and capillarity, the composite films show excellent wettability with non-aqueous liquid electrolytes. Typically, the composite films composed of CaCO3 and Teflon and wetted with 1 M LiPF6 dissolved in a solvent mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) (30:70 wt%) exhibit an ionic conductivity as high as 2.5–4 mS/cm at 20 °C, in a comparable range with that (3.4 mS/cm) of the commercial Celgard membrane. In the batteries, the composite film not only serves as a physical separator but also neutralizes acidic products, such as HF formed by LiPF6 hydrolysis, as well as those formed by solvent oxidative decomposition. A Li/LiMn2O4 test cell was employed to examine the electrochemical compatibility of the composite film. We observed that the composite film cell showed an improved cycling performance since the alkaline CaCO3 neutralizes the acidic products, which otherwise promote dissolution of the electrode active materials. More importantly, the composite film cell displayed a superior performance on high-rate cycling, which was probably the result of the less resistive interface formed between the electrode and the composite film.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pasquier AD, Disma F, Bowmer T, Gozdz AS, Amatucci G, Tarascon JM (1999) J Electrochem Soc 145:472

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hong JS, Maleki H, Hallaj SA, Redey L, Selman JR (1998) J Electrochem Soc 145:1489

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Maleki H, Hallaj SA, Selman JR, Dinwiddie RB, Wang H (1999) J Electrochem Soc 146:947

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ding MS, Xu K, Zhang SS, Jow TR, Amine K, Henriksen GL (2001) J Electrochem Soc 148:A1196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhang SS, Jow TR (2002) J Power Sources 109:458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Takami N, Ohsaki T, Inada K (1992) J Electrochem Soc 139:1849

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Aldrich (2002) Lithium hexafluorophosphate material safety data sheet. Aldrich, Milwaukee, Wisc., cat. no. 2132440-3

  8. Xia Y, Zhou Y, Yoshio M (1997) J Electrochem Soc 144:2593

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jang DH, Shin YJ, Oh SM (1996) J Electrochem Soc 143:2204

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang SS, Jow TR (2002) J Power Sources 109:173

    Google Scholar 

  11. Zhang SS, Xu K, Jow TR (2002) J Electrochem Soc 149:A1521

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang SS, Xu K, Allen JL, Jow TR (2002) J Power Sources 110:216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Liu W, Farrington GC, Chaput F, Dunn B (1996) J Electrochem Soc 143:879

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Premanand R, Durairajan A, Haran B, White R, Popov BN (2002) J Electrochem Soc 149:A54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ramadass P, Haran B, White R, Popov BN (2002) J Power Sources 111:210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang E, Ofer D, Bowden W, Iltchev N, Moses R, Brandt K (2000) J Electrochem Soc 147:4023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD , 20783, USA

    S. S. Zhang, K. Xu & T. R. Jow

Authors
  1. S. S. Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. R. Jow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, S.S., Xu, K. & Jow, T.R. Alkaline composite film as a separator for rechargeable lithium batteries. J Solid State Electrochem 7, 492–496 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-003-0375-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-003-0375-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation