CELGARD, LLC

An improved battery separator and an energy cell comprising the improved battery separator are provided. The improved battery separator comprises a porous membrane having at least one of the following properties when wet with electrolyte: has no or low volume; has no or low mass; soaks as much liquid electrolyte as possible; blocks or removes any harmful substances in the electrolyte; never melts at any high temperature; does not react with the cathode or the anode under any conditions; has a mechanical strength equal to or greater than steel; is an electronic insulator under any conditions; and blocks metal dendrite growth.

An improved strength microporous membrane is described herein. The microporous membrane may be useful as a battery separator, separator membrane, base film, or membrane with a variety of uses thereof. The improved microporous membranes described herein may be dry process polyolefin membranes and may be used as battery separators or as a component of a composite or battery separator. The battery separators or composites may be used in energy storage devices including primary batteries, secondary batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, or super capacitors.

The present invention is directed to improved, new or modified membranes, separator membranes, or separators, and/or related methods. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to improved, new or modified nonporous, porous, or microporous battery separator membranes or separators and/or related methods of manufacture and/or use of such membranes or separators. In accordance with at least selected embodiments, the present invention is directed to improved, new or modified nonporous, porous, or microporous battery separator membranes or separators for lithium ion batteries and/or related methods of manufacture and/or use thereof. In accordance with at least selected particular embodiments, the present invention is directed to improved, new or modified nonporous, porous, or microporous battery separator membranes or separators for secondary or rechargeable lithium ion batteries and/or related methods of manufacture and/or use of such membranes or separators. In accordance with at least certain selected particular embodiments, the present invention is directed to nonporous, porous, or microporous coated porous or microporous battery separator membranes or separators for secondary lithium ion batteries and/or related methods of manufacture and/or use of such membranes or separators. In accordance with at least one embodiment, an improved, new or modified nonporous, porous, or microporous membrane, separator membrane or separator for a lithium ion battery includes a porous or microporous membrane coated with a ceramic coating or layer such as a layer of one or more particles and/or binders.

A ceramic-coated battery separator having a microporous polyolefin membrane and a ceramic coating on at least one surface of the microporous polyolefin membrane, wherein the ceramic-coated separator exhibits a strain shrinkage of 0% at temperatures greater than or equal to 120 degrees Celsius is provided.

Disclosed or provided are high melt temperature microporous Lithium-ion rechargeable battery separators, shutdown high melt temperature battery separators, battery separators, membranes, composites, and the like that preferably prevent contact between the anode and cathode when the battery is maintained at elevated temperatures for a period of time, methods of making, testing and/or using such separators, membranes, composites, and the like, and/or batteries, Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, and the like including one or more such separators, membranes, composites, and the like.

In accordance with at least selected embodiments, novel or improved porous membranes or substrates, separator membranes, separators, composites, electrochemical devices, batteries, methods of making such membranes or substrates, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes or substrates, separators and/or batteries are disclosed. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, novel or improved microporous membranes, battery separator membranes, separators, energy storage devices, batteries including such separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are disclosed. In accordance with at least certain selected embodiments, a separator for a battery which has an oxidation protective and binder-free deposition layer which is stable up to 5.2 volts or more, for example, up to 7 volts, in a battery is disclosed. The deposition layer is preferably a thin, very thin or ultra-thin deposition on a polymeric microporous membrane applied via a binder-free and solvent-free deposition method. By employing such an ultra-thin deposition layer, the energy density of a battery may be increased. In accordance with at least particular embodiments, the battery separator membrane described herein is directed to a multi-layer or composite microporous membrane battery separator which may have excellent oxidation resistance and may be stable in a high voltage battery system up to 5.2 volts or more. In accordance with at least other certain selected embodiments, the present invention is directed to a separator for a battery which has a conductive deposition layer which is stable up to at least 5.2 volts or higher in a battery.

A new or improved microporous monolayer, bilayer, trilayer, or multilayer membrane, separator membrane, separator, or coated separator is disclosed. The membrane is preferably made up of at least one resin or polymer and at least one additive. The additive may comprise at least one material that improves adhesion of the microporous membrane to a coating, including a polyaramid-containing coating and a PCS coating, or to a different material such as a metallic surface, including an electrode surface. Improvements in adhesion are based on comparisons to similar microporous membranes without the at least one additive. In some preferred embodiments, the at least one additive may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a functionalized polymer or the combination of a functionalized polymer and an elastomer. In some embodiments, the functional group of the functionalized polymer may be maleic anhydride (MAH). Also disclosed is a battery separator or coated separator comprising the new or improved microporous membrane. The battery separator may comprise the microporous membrane coated with a polyaramid-containing coating. Also disclosed is a new or improved separator, composite, battery, secondary lithium ion battery, and/or vehicle or device comprising the separator, composite, or battery.

In accordance with at least selected embodiments, the present disclosure or invention is directed to improved or novel separators, cells, batteries, and/or methods of manufacture and/or use. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, the present disclosure or invention is directed to improved or novel separators such as a separator for a high energy and/or high voltage lithium ion battery which is stable up to a 4.5 volt, or preferably up to a 5.0 volt or higher charging voltage, such as a novel or improved single or multilayer or multiply microporous separator membrane. In accordance with at least selected embodiments, the present application or invention is directed to novel or improved porous membranes or substrates, separator membranes, separators, composites, electrochemical devices, batteries, cells, methods of making such membranes or substrates, separators, cells, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes or substrates, separators, cells, and/or batteries. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, the present application is directed to novel or improved microporous membranes, battery separator membranes, separators, energy storage devices, batteries including such separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries. In accordance with at least certain selected embodiments, the present invention is directed to a novel or improved separator membrane or separator with or without embedded particles or materials, such as ceramic particles or materials, for example, aluminum oxide, boehmite, and/or barium, and/or with or without novel polymers, such as PVDF or PMP, and/or with or without one or more ceramic coatings, for a battery which is stable up to at least 5 volts in a battery, a novel or improved polymer membrane, or polymeric microporous membrane, adapted for use in a 4.5 volt, 4.7 volt, or 5 volt or higher rechargeable or secondary lithium battery and/or which provides for the energy density of a battery to be increased and/or has excellent oxidation resistance. In accordance with at least particular embodiments, the battery separator membrane described herein is directed to a single or multilayer or composite microporous membrane battery separator which may have excellent oxidation resistance and/or may be stable in a high voltage lithium battery system up to 5 volts or more.

Disclosed herein are battery separators that include a microporous membrane and a coating. The coating may comprise, consist, or consist essentially of polymeric components, inorganic components, or combinations thereof. The battery separators described herein are, among other things, thinner, stronger, and more wettable with electrolyte than some prior battery separators. The battery separators may be used in secondary or rechargeable batteries, including lithium ion batteries. The batteries may be used in vehicles or devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, and e-vehicles.

A coated battery separator, comprising the battery separator; and a porous coating on at least one side of the battery separator, wherein the porous coating comprises a polymer comprising an amide functional group.