Porous membranes in secondary battery technologies

Abstract

Secondary batteries have received huge attention due to their attractive features in applications of large-scale energy storage and portable electronic devices, as well as electrical vehicles. In a secondary battery, a membrane plays the role of separating the anode and cathode to prevent the occurrence of a short circuit, while allowing the transport of charge carriers to achieve a complete circuit. The properties of a membrane will largely determine the performance of a battery. In this article, we review the research and development progress of porous membranes in secondary battery technologies, such as lithium-based batteries together with flow batteries. The preparation methods as well as the required properties of porous membranes in different secondary battery technologies will be elucidated thoroughly and deeply. Most importantly, this review will mainly focus on the optimization and modification of porous membranes in different secondary battery systems. And various modifications on commercial porous membranes along with novel membrane materials are widely discussed and summarized. This review will help to optimize the membrane material for different secondary batteries, and favor the understanding of the preparation-structure-performance relationship of porous membranes in different secondary batteries. Therefore, this review will provide an extensive, comprehensive and professional reference to design and construct high-performance porous membranes.

A Compact Gel Membrane Based on a Blend of PEO and PVDF for Dendrite‐Free Lithium Metal Anodes

“…The ionic conductivity of GPEs highly depends on the uptake of liquid electrolytes . For improving the absorption of liquid electrolytes, various GPEs with high porosity were fabricated with different manufacturing process . However, the PEO/PVDF membrane in this research is compact and nonporous, but it can also absorb the LiPF 6 ‐based liquid electrolyte (78.2 wt.%).…”

Redox‐Mediator‐Enhanced Electrochemical Capacitors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

“…Different from ion‐selective membranes, ion‐sieving membranes (or ion‐exclusion membranes) can selectively sieve small ions despite their charges and block the undesired migration of large ions and are thus candidates as separator in redox‐mediator‐enhanced supercapacitors (Figure b) . Without the ion‐exchange functional groups, these membranes show a higher stability in electrolyte and can be used at all pH values.…”

“…In the case of polymers with a low molecular weight, nanofiltration membranes can be employed as separator because it sieves the ions depending on the solvated ion radius. These membranes have gained attention in the field of redox‐flow batteries as it can effectively block vanadium ions and allow H + to pass (Figure d) . Importantly, the pore size of nanofiltration membranes can be tuned through the preparation parameters, allowing application in various electrolyte systems.…”

Inhibition of Zinc Dendrite Growth in Zinc‐Based Batteries

“…[1,2] Thus, battery technologiesc an reduce the use of finite fossil fuels and facilitate the utilization of green renewable energy sources. Electrochemical energy storage technologies, namely battery technologies, can store electric energy in the form of the chemical energy,a nd convert the chemical energy to electric energy as needed.…”