Amphiphilic Long-Chain Polyamide Membranes for High-Rate Lithium-Ion Battery Separators

Fast charging is a key requirement for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Yet, conventional polyolefin separators often suffer from poor electrolyte wettability and interfacial compatibility, limiting the charging performance of LIBs. In this study, we introduce an effective approach to overcoming these challenges by utilizing the amphiphilic nature of long-chain polyamide 1012 (PA1012) to prepare high-performance separators. The membranes of PA1012 are fabricated using a facile method, i.e., Mixed ‘Non-solvents’ Evaporation Induced Phase Separation (MNEIPS), allowing membrane formation within 1 min. The presence of polar amide groups in PA1012 enhances the electrolyte wettability and ionic conductivity, which significantly improves the rate performance and cycle life of LIBs when applied as separators. Our findings provide fresh insights into the application of long-chain polyamides in advanced energy storage systems, paving the way for the development of high-performance, fast-charging LIBs.