Strategy to Increase the Efficiency of Battery Systems Equipped with Cellulose-Based Separators

Abstract

This study delves into the production and evaluation of cellulose acetate (CA) separators with a focus on their application in lithium-ion batteries. The primary objective is to optimize battery performance by customizing separator characteristics through the integration of diverse additives and water-pressure treatments. Three distinct categories of additives were investigated, which include hydrated metal nitrates, organic compounds, and metal compounds. The impact of these additives on pore generation and porosity was comprehensively analyzed. Among the hydrated metal nitrates, Cd(NO3)2 center dot 4H2O emerged as a highly effective plasticizer in comparison to Ni(NO3)2 and Mg(NO3)2. This superiority can be attributed to the relatively larger ionic radius of cadmium (Cd) among these three elements, facilitating the dissociation of Cd ions into cations and counteranions. Within the realm of organic compounds, glycerin proved to be more efficient in inducing the formation of abundant pores in CA polymers when compared to propylene glycol and lactic acid. As for the metal compounds, they exhibited notable effectiveness in preparing porous CA polymers for battery separators. However, these materials tend to yield larger pore sizes, potentially due to their higher dissociation energy. The findings of this investigation underscore the feasibility of employing a range of additives to craft porous cellulose acetate separators. These resulting separators exhibit varying degrees of porosity, positioning them as promising candidates for enhancing lithium-ion battery performance. Consequently, this review contributes to the ongoing advancement of cutting-edge battery technologies by tailoring separator materials to specific requirements.