Process of making battery separators via spinning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10243187-B2
Application number	US-201615232290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A method for preparing a high temperature melt integrity separator, the method comprising spinning a polymer by one or more of a mechanical spinning process and an electro-spinning process to produce fine fibers.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
providing a polymer solution comprising a chemical-resistant polymer in a solvent, wherein the chemical-resistant polymer has normalized dry weight of greater than about 90% in 1:1:1 EC:DMC:EMC and 1 mol/L LiPF 6 ;
spinning the polymer solution into fine fibers by an electro-spinning method; and
forming a fiber-based structure from the fine fibers, wherein the fiber-based structure does not significantly dissolve in an electrolyte solution comprising 1:1:1 EC:DMC:EMC and 1 mol/L LiPF 6 , and wherein the fiber-based structure has an electrolyte contact angle with the electrolyte solution of equal to or lower than about 30°,
wherein a viscosity of the polymer solution varies from 100 to 550 centipoise at room temperature; and
wherein a loading of the chemical-resistant polymer in the polymer solution ranges from about 5 to about 20 wt %, based on a total weight of the polymer solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer solution comprises a polyetherimide comprising structural units based on para-phenylene diamines.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises a phenolic solvent, hexafluoroisopropanol, dichloromethane, trifluoroacetic acid, chloroform, tetrachloroethane, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, a pyrrolidone-based solvent, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the chemical resistant polymer has a weight to volume concentration of about 1% to about 20% in the solvent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the fiber-based structure comprises a drying step, a dry laid process, a thermal treatment, a pressure treatment, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure has a porosity in the range of about 10% to about 90%.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure has a MacMullin number equal to or lower than 10.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure has an average pore size in the range of about 0.01 μm to about 20 μm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure has a thickness of about 10 μm to about 200 μm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure comprises fibers with an individual average diameter of about 10 nm to about 50 μm.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-based structure shows about 5% deformation at a temperature of equal to or exceeding about 150° C.

12. A method comprising:
providing a polymer solution comprising a chemical-resistant polymer in a solvent, wherein the chemical-resistant polymer has normalized dry weight of greater than about 90% in 1:1:1 EC:DMC:EMC and 1 mol/L LiPF 6 ; and
spinning the polymer solution into fine fibers by an electro-spinning method,
wherein a viscosity of the polymer solution varies from 100 to 550 centipoise at room temperature; and
wherein a loading of the chemical-resistant polymer in the polymer solution ranges from about 5 to about 20 wt %, based on a total weight of the polymer solution.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer solution comprises a polyetherimide having structural units based on para-phenylene diamines.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solvent comprises a phenolic solvent, hexafluoroisopropanol, dichloromethane, trifluoroacetic acid, chloroform, tetrachloroethane, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, a pyrrolidone-based solvent, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 , where the chemical resistant polymer has a weight to volume concentration of about 1% to about 20% in the solvent.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a fiber-based structure from the fine fibers, wherein the fiber-based structure has a porosity in the range of about 10% to about 90% or the fiber-based structure has a MacMullin number equal to or lower than 10.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a fiber-based structure from the fine fibers, wherein the fiber-based structure shows about 5% deformation at temperatures equal to or exceeding about 150° C.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a fiber-based structure from the fine fibers, wherein the fiber-based structure has an electrolyte contact angle of equal to or lower than about 30° in 1:1:1 EC:DMC:EMC and 1 mol/L LiPF 6 .

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electro-spinning method comprises:
a voltage in a range of 10-30 kilovolts;
use of a spinneret and a collector;
a distance between the spinneret and the collector of about 10 to about 30 centimeters;
rotating the spinneret at a speed varying from 0-1300 revolutions per minute; and
a humidity varying from about 30 to about 75%.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electro-spinning method comprises:
a voltage in a range of 10-30 kilovolts;
use of a spinneret and a collector;
a distance between the spinneret and the collector of about 10 to about 30 centimeters;
rotating the spinneret at a speed varying from 0-1300 revolutions per minute; and
a humidity varying from about 30 to about 75%.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• L'Abee Roy Martinus Adrianus
• Peters Richard
• Teutsch Erich Otto
• Wu Huiqing
• Wang Yanju
• Huang Qunjian
• Rong Wujun
• Labelle Jacob Scott

Classifications

• D01D5/003 Primary

  the material being a polymer solution or dispersion (D01D5/0053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/497

  Ionic conductivity · CPC title

• H01M50/491

  Porosity · CPC title

• H01M50/489

  Separators, membranes, diaphragms or spacing elements inside the cells, characterised by their physical properties, e.g. swelling degree, hydrophilicity or shut down properties · CPC title

• H01M50/414

  Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins · CPC title