Ultralight and fire-extinguishing current collectors for high-energy and high-safety lithium-ion batteries
Source abstract
Abstract
Inactive components and safety hazards are two critical challenges in realizing high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Metal foil current collectors with high density are typically an integrated part of lithium-ion batteries yet deliver no capacity. Meanwhile, high-energy batteries can entail increased fire safety issues. Here we report a composite current collector design that simultaneously minimizes the ‘dead weight’ within the cell and improves fire safety. An ultralight polyimide-based current collector (9 μm thick, specific mass 1.54 mg cm−2) is prepared by sandwiching a polyimide embedded with triphenyl phosphate flame retardant between two superthin Cu layers (~500 nm). Compared to lithium-ion batteries assembled with the thinnest commercial metal foil current collectors (~6 µm), batteries equipped with our composite current collectors can realize a 16–26% improvement in specific energy and rapidly self-extinguish fires under extreme conditions such as short circuits and thermal runaway. Batteries need to be energy-dense as well as safe. Yi Cui and team develop an ultralight polyimide-based current collector with embedded fire retardants that enables lithium-ion batteries with much-enhanced safety and energy density.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Advanced Battery Materials and Technologies · Advancements in Battery Materials · Advanced Battery Technologies Research
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (44)
Show source-provided references
1. Chen, Y. et al. Reduced graphene oxide films with ultrahigh conductivity as Li-ion battery current collectors. Nano Lett. 16, 3616–3623 (2016).10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b00743 ↗
2. Zhang, H., Yu, X. & Braun, P. V. Three-dimensional bicontinuous ultrafast-charge and -discharge bulk battery electrodes. Nat. Nanotechnol. 6, 277–281 (2011).10.1038/nnano.2011.38 ↗
3. Li, Y. Q. et al. Lithium ion breathable electrodes with 3D hierarchical architecture for ultrastable and high-capacity lithium storage. Adv. Funct. Mater. 27, 1700447 (2017).10.1002/adfm.201700447 ↗
4. Li, N., Chen, Z., Ren, W., Li, F. & Cheng, H.-M. Flexible graphene-based lithium ion batteries with ultrafast charge and discharge rates. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 109, 17360–17365 (2012).10.1073/pnas.1210072109 ↗
5. Sun, H. et al. Hierarchical 3D electrodes for electrochemical energy storage. Nat. Rev. Mater. 4, 45–60 (2019).10.1038/s41578-018-0069-9 ↗
6. Liu, B. et al. Hierarchical three-dimensional ZnCo2O4 nanowire arrays/carbon cloth anodes for a novel class of high-performance flexible lithium-ion batteries. Nano Lett. 12, 3005–3011 (2012).10.1021/nl300794f ↗
7. Yazici, M., Krassowski, D. & Prakash, J. Flexible graphite as battery anode and current collector. J. Power Sources 141, 171–176 (2005).10.1016/j.jpowsour.2004.09.009 ↗
8. Zhamu, A., Jang, B. Z. & Chen, G. Large-grain graphene thin film current collector and secondary batteries containing same. US patent 9,484,160 (2016).
9. Wang, S. et al. Aluminum chloride-graphite batteries with flexible current collectors prepared from earth‐abundant elements. Adv. Sci. 5, 1700712 (2018).10.1002/advs.201700712 ↗
10. Liu, K., Liu, Y., Lin, D., Pei, A. & Cui, Y. Materials for lithium-ion battery safety. Sci. Adv. 4, eaas9820 (2018).10.1126/sciadv.aas9820 ↗
11. Fan, X. et al. Non-flammable electrolyte enables Li-metal batteries with aggressive cathode chemistries. Nat. Nanotechnol. 13, 715–722 (2018).10.1038/s41565-018-0183-2 ↗
12. Wu, H., Zhuo, D., Kong, D. & Cui, Y. Improving battery safety by early detection of internal shorting with a bifunctional separator. Nat. Commun. 5, 5193 (2014).
13. Liu, Y., Zhu, Y. & Cui, Y. Challenges and opportunities towards fast-charging battery materials. Nat. Energy 4, 540–550 (2019).10.1038/s41560-019-0405-3 ↗
14. Liu, K. et al. Extending the life of lithium‐based rechargeable batteries by reaction of lithium dendrites with a novel silica nanoparticle sandwiched separator. Adv. Mater. 29, 1603987 (2017).10.1002/adma.201603987 ↗
15. Wang, Q. et al. Thermal runaway caused fire and explosion of lithium ion battery. J. Power Sources 208, 210–224 (2012).10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.02.038 ↗
16. Ribière, P. et al. Investigation on the fire-induced hazards of Li-ion battery cells by fire calorimetry. Energy Environ. Sci. 5, 5271–5280 (2012).10.1039/C1EE02218K ↗
17. Yeon, D., Lee, Y., Ryou, M.-H. & Lee, Y. M. New flame-retardant composite separators based on metal hydroxides for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochim. Acta 157, 282–289 (2015).10.1016/j.electacta.2015.01.078 ↗
18. Yim, T. et al. Self-extinguishing lithium ion batteries based on internally embedded fire-extinguishing microcapsules with temperature-responsiveness. Nano Lett. 15, 5059–5067 (2015).10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b01167 ↗
19. Liu, K. et al. Electrospun core-shell microfiber separator with thermal-triggered flame-retardant properties for lithium-ion batteries. Sci. Adv. 3, e1601978 (2017).10.1126/sciadv.1601978 ↗
20. Yu, L., Miao, J., Jin, Y. & Lin, J. Y. A comparative study on polypropylene separators coated with different inorganic materials for lithium-ion batteries. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng. 11, 346–352 (2017).10.1007/s11705-017-1648-9 ↗
21. Baginska, M. et al. Autonomic shutdown of lithium‐ion batteries using thermoresponsive microspheres. Adv. Energy Mater. 2, 583–590 (2012).10.1002/aenm.201100683 ↗
22. Cui, Y. et al. A fireproof, lightweight, polymer–polymer solid-state electrolyte for safe lithium batteries. Nano Lett. 20, 1686–1692 (2020).10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04815 ↗
23. Wang, J. et al. Fire-extinguishing organic electrolytes for safe batteries. Nat. Energy 3, 22–29 (2018).10.1038/s41560-017-0033-8 ↗
24. Nakagawa, H. et al. Application of nonflammable electrolyte with room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) for lithium-ion cells. J. Power Sources 174, 1021–1026 (2007).10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.06.133 ↗
25. Zeng, Z. et al. Non-flammable electrolytes with high salt-to-solvent ratios for Li-ion and Li-metal batteries. Nat. Energy 3, 674 (2018).10.1038/s41560-018-0196-y ↗
26. Tsujikawa, T. et al. Characteristics of lithium-ion battery with non-flammable electrolyte. J. Power Sources 189, 429–434 (2009).10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.02.010 ↗
27. Suo, L., Hu, Y.-S., Li, H., Armand, M. & Chen, L. A new class of solvent-in-salt electrolyte for high-energy rechargeable metallic lithium batteries. Nat. Commun. 4, 1481 (2013).
28. Wang, J. et al. Superconcentrated electrolytes for a high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Nat. Commun. 7, 12032 (2016).
29. Xia, L., Li, S.-L., Ai, X.-P., Yang, H.-X. & Cao, Y.-L. Temperature-sensitive cathode materials for safer lithium-ion batteries. Energy Environ. Sci. 4, 2845–2848 (2011).10.1039/c0ee00590h ↗
30. Balakrishnan, P., Ramesh, R. & Kumar, T. P. Safety mechanisms in lithium-ion batteries. J. Power Sources 155, 401–414 (2006).10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.12.002 ↗
31. Chen, Z. et al. Fast and reversible thermoresponsive polymer switching materials for safer batteries. Nat. Energy 1, 15009 (2016).10.1038/nenergy.2015.9 ↗
32. Wang, H., Wang, T., Yang, S. & Fan, L. Preparation of thermal stable porous polyimide membranes by phase inversion process for lithium-ion battery. Polymer 54, 6339–6348 (2013).10.1016/j.polymer.2013.09.036 ↗
33. Ma, P. et al. A review on high temperature resistant polyimide films: heterocyclic structures and nanocomposites. Compos. Commun. 16, 84–93 (2019).10.1016/j.coco.2019.08.011 ↗
34. Li, J. et al. Synthesis and characterization of porous polyimide films containing benzimidazole moieties. High. Perform. Polym. 29, 869–876 (2017).10.1177/0954008317697803 ↗
35. Velencoso, M. M., Battig, A., Markwart, J. C., Schartel, B. & Wurm, F. R. Molecular firefighting—how modern phosphorus chemistry can help solve the challenge of flame retardancy. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57, 10450–10467 (2018).10.1002/anie.201711735 ↗
36. Kränzlin, N., Ellenbroek, S., Durán‐Martín, D. & Niederberger, M. Liquid‐phase deposition of freestanding copper foils and supported copper thin films and their structuring into conducting line patterns. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 51, 4743–4746 (2012).10.1002/anie.201200428 ↗
37. Barnat, E., Nagakura, D., Wang, P.-I. & Lu, T.-M. Real time resistivity measurements during sputter deposition of ultrathin copper films. J. Appl. Phys. 91, 1667–1672 (2002).10.1063/1.1430530 ↗
38. Xiao, J. et al. Fire retardant synergism between melamine and triphenyl phosphate in poly(butylene terephthalate). Polym. Degrad. Stabil. 91, 2093–2100 (2006).10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2006.01.018 ↗
39. Granzow, A. Flame retardation by phosphorus compounds. Acc. Chem. Res. 11, 177–183 (1978).10.1021/ar50125a001 ↗
40. Liu, N. et al. A pomegranate-inspired nanoscale design for large-volume-change lithium battery anodes. Nat. Nanotechnol. 9, 187–192 (2014).10.1038/nnano.2014.6 ↗
41. Li, M., Lu, J., Chen, Z. & Amine, K. 30 years of lithium‐ion batteries. Adv. Mater. 30, 1800561 (2018).10.1002/adma.201800561 ↗
42. Schmuch, R., Wagner, R., Hörpel, G., Placke, T. & Winter, M. Performance and cost of materials for lithium-based rechargeable automotive batteries. Nat. Energy 3, 267–278 (2018).10.1038/s41560-018-0107-2 ↗
43. Hong, J. H., Lee, Y., Han, S. & Kim, K.-J. Improvement of adhesion properties for Cu films on the polyimide by plasma source ion implantation. Surf. Coat. Technol. 201, 197–202 (2006).10.1016/j.surfcoat.2005.11.084 ↗
44. Kim, M.-H. & Lee, K.-W. The effects of ion beam treatment on the interfacial adhesion of Cu/polyimide system. Met. Mater. Int. 12, 425–433 (2006).10.1007/BF03027710 ↗