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Improved Functionality of Lithium‐Ion Batteries Enabled by Atomic Layer Deposition on the Porous Microstructure of Polymer Separators and Coating Electrodes
Author(s) -
Jung Yoon Seok,
Cavanagh Andrew S.,
Gedvilas Lynn,
Widjonarko Nicodemus E.,
Scott Isaac D.,
Lee SeHee,
Kim GiHeon,
George Steven M.,
Dillon Anne C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201100750
Subject(s) - materials science , separator (oil production) , electrolyte , atomic layer deposition , coating , anode , chemical engineering , polymer , cathode , electrochemistry , electrode , wetting , propylene carbonate , composite material , layer (electronics) , chemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al 2 O 3 is applied on a polypropylene separator for lithium‐ion batteries. A thin Al 2 O 3 layer (<10 nm) is coated on every surface of the porous polymer microframework without significantly increasing the total separator thickness. The thin Al 2 O 3 ALD coating results in significantly suppressed thermal shrinkage, which may lead to improved safety of the batteries. More importantly, the wettability of Al 2 O 3 ALD‐coated separators in an extremely polar electrolyte based on pure propylene carbonate (PC) solvent is demonstrated, without any decrease in electrochemical performances such as capacity, rate capability, and cycle life. Finally, a LiCoO 2 /natural graphite full cell is demonstrated under extremely severe conditions (pure PC‐based electrolyte and high (4.5 V) upper cut‐off potential), which is enabled by the Al 2 O 3 ALD coating on all three components (cathode, anode, and separator).