Nanocomposite membrane, electrolyte-separator composite for a battery, and method of making a nanocomposite membrane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023067283-A1
Application number	US-202217929060-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2022
Priority date	Sep 1, 2021
Publication date	Mar 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nanocomposite membrane includes a polymer phase, a nanowire phase, and a pore phase. The polymer phase includes a polymer including a cyclic imide group. The nanowire phase includes metal oxide nanowires. Each of the polymer phase and the nanowire phase is uniformly distributed within at least part of the nanocomposite membrane.

First claim

1 . A nanocomposite membrane, comprising:
a polymer phase comprising a polymer comprising a cyclic imide group; a nanowire phase comprising metal oxide nanowires; and a pore phase, wherein each of the polymer phase and the nanowire phase is uniformly distributed within at least part of the nanocomposite membrane.

2 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the each of the polymer phase and the nanowire phase is uniformly distributed within all of the nanocomposite membrane.

3 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polyetherimide.

4 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide nanowires comprise Al 2 O 3 nanowires.

5 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the pore phase is characterized by an average pore size of 1 μm or less.

6 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein a porosity of the nanocomposite membrane in an uncompressed state is in a range of about 25 vol. % to about 95 vol. %.

7 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein a porosity of the nanocomposite membrane in a compressed state is in a range of about 0.1 MPa to about 1.0 MPa, is in a range of about 20 vol. % to about 90 vol. %.

8 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein, in an uncompressed state, the nanocomposite membrane exhibits a Gurley number in a range of about 20 seconds to about 600 seconds.

9 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide nanowires are in a range of about 10 wt. % to about 40 wt. % relative to the polymer and the metal oxide nanowires.

10 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the pore phase is uniformly distributed within some or all of the nanocomposite membrane.

11 . The nanocomposite membrane of claim 10 , wherein the pore phase is uniformly distributed within all of the nanocomposite membrane.

12 . An electrolyte-separator composite for a battery, comprising:
a separator membrane comprising the nanocomposite membrane of claim 1 ; and a liquid electrolyte filling at least a fraction of the pore phase.

13 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein a reference electrolyte uptake of the electrolyte-separator composite is 100 wt. % or greater, the reference electrolyte containing LiPF 6 and a solvent mixture, the LiPF 6 being present at a concentration of 1 M, the solvent mixture containing ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) in a 1:1:1 volume ratio.

14 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein an ionic conductivity of the electrolyte-separator composite is about 0.63 mS/cm or greater.

15 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein the polymer is a polyetherimide.

16 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein the metal oxide nanowires comprise Al 2 O 3 nanowires.

17 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein the metal oxide nanowires are in a range of about 10 wt. % to about 40 wt. % relative to the polymer and the metal oxide nanowires.

18 . The electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 , wherein the liquid electrolyte comprises lithium ions and a carbonate solvent.

19 . A battery, comprising:
an anode; a cathode; and the electrolyte-separator composite of claim 12 interposed between the anode and the cathode.

20 . A method of making a nanocomposite membrane, comprising:
(A1) mixing a water-insoluble polymer composition, water-soluble pore-forming polymer composition, and metal oxide nanowires in a non-aqueous solvent to form a mixture, the water-insoluble polymer composition and the water-soluble pore-forming polymer composition being dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent, the non-aqueous solvent being miscible with water; (A2) casting the mixture onto a substrate to form a film; (A3) immersing the film in a water bath, such that the water-soluble pore-forming polymer composition and the non-aqueous solvent diffuse from the film into the water bath; and (A4) drying the film.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the water-insoluble polymer composition comprises a polymer comprising a cyclic imide group.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the water-insoluble polymer composition comprises a polyetherimide.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the metal oxide nanowires comprise Al 2 O 3 nanowires.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the water-soluble pore-forming polymer composition comprises poly(vinylpyrrolidone).

25 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the non-aqueous solvent comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).

26 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
(B) subjecting the film to a high-humidity environment in a range of about 90% to about 100% relative humidity at a temperature in a range of about 45° C. to about 55° C.; wherein the subjecting (B) is carried out after the casting (A2) and before the immersing (A3).

Assignees

• Sila Nanotechnologies Inc
• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Yushin Gleb
• Hu Wenqiang
• Fu Wenbin
• Jhulki Samik
• Chen Liang

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/414

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

• H01M50/434

  Ceramics · CPC title

• H01M50/446 Primary

  Composite material consisting of a mixture of organic and inorganic materials · CPC title

• H01M10/0569

  characterised by the solvents · CPC title