Microlayer membranes, battery separators, batteries, and related methods

A multilayer microporous membrane or film having or exhibiting at least one of following:

• (a) having at least one additive in at least one layer of the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (b) having or exhibiting increased or improved compressibility compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (c) having or exhibiting increased or improved elongation at break (TD) compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film:
• (d) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 150° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (e) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (f) having at least one layer that comprises a polymer blend;
• and
• (g) having a non-woven or woven attached to one or both sides of the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein the membrane or film has or exhibits increased or improved compressibility compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film.

A multilayer microporous membrane or film having or exhibiting at least one of following:

• (a) having at least one additive in at least one layer of the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (b) having or exhibiting increased or improved compressibility compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (c) having or exhibiting increased or improved elongation at break (TD) compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film:
• (d) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 150° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (e) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (f) having at least one layer that comprises a polymer blend;
• and
• (g) having a non-woven or woven attached to one or both sides of the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein the membrane or film has or exhibits increased or improved elongation at break (TD) compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein:
• the elongation at break (TD) may be more than 30% higher, 35% higher, 40% higher, 41% higher, 42% higher, 43% higher, 44% higher, or 45% higher, compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film.

A multilayer microporous membrane or film having or exhibiting at least one of following:

• (a) having at least one additive in at least one layer of the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (b) having or exhibiting increased or improved compressibility compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (c) having or exhibiting increased or improved elongation at break (TD) compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film:
• (d) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 150° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (e) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (f) having at least one layer that comprises a polymer blend;
• and
• (g) having a non-woven or woven attached to one or both sides of the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein the membrane or film has or exhibits reduced high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein:
• the membrane or film may have a high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. that is 30 to 75% lower, 35 to 70% lower, 35 to 65% lower, or 40 to 60% lower, compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film.

A multilayer microporous membrane or film having or exhibiting at least one of following:

• (a) having at least one additive in at least one layer of the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (b) having or exhibiting increased or improved compressibility compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (c) having or exhibiting increased or improved elongation at break (TD) compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film:
• (d) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 150° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (e) having or exhibiting reduced high temperature shrinkage at 120° C. compared to a tri-layer microporous membrane having the same thickness, Gurley, porosity, and/or resin make-up as the multilayer microporous membrane or film;
• (f) having at least one layer that comprises a polymer blend;
• and
• (g) having a non-woven or woven attached to one or both sides of the multilayer microporous membrane or film, wherein the total thickness of the membrane or film is less than 30 microns, less than 25 microns, less than 20 microns, less than 15 microns, or less than 10 microns, wherein:
• the multilayer microporous film comprises at least three layers that are all micro-layers (thickness of 1-10 microns), all nano-layers (thickness of less than 1 micron), or a combination of nano-layers and micro-layers;
• the multilayer microporous film comprises at least four layers that are all micro-layers (thickness of 1-10 microns), all nano-layers (thickness of less than 1 micron), or a combination of nano-layers and micro-layers;
• the multilayer microporous film comprises at least five layers that are all micro-layers (thickness of 1-10 microns), all nano-layers (thickness of less than 1 micron), or a combination of nano-layers and micro-layers;
• or
• the multilayer microporous film comprises at least six layers that are all micro-layers (thickness of 1-10 microns), all nano-layers (thickness of less than 1 micron), or a combination of nano-layers and micro-layers.

A multilayer microporous membrane or film comprising:

• two outermost sub-membranes comprising three or more nano-layers (thickness less than 1 micron) or micro-layers (thickness between 1 and 10 microns);
• and
• at least one inner sub-membrane comprising three or more nano-layers (thickness less than 1 micron) or micro-layers (thickness between 1 and 10 microns) that comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of polypropylene,
• wherein in at least one of the outermost sub-membranes, the outermost micro-layer or nano-layer comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of polyethylene.

A Machine Learning Test described herein for characterizing a multilayer microporous film comprises two or more layers and polyethylene and/or polypropylene in one or more of the layers, wherein in some embodiments, the following is satisfied:

• WTx′≥−0.0 or WTx′≥−1.0.
• PP:
• wTx′≤−1.5 wTx′≥0.5 wTx′≥1.5
• PE:
• wTx′≥−2.0 wTx′≥0.0 wTx′≥2.0.

A multilayer microporous membrane exhibiting an increase in puncture average (g) when tested at a high puncture speed over 25 mm/min compared to a puncture average (g) tested at 25 mm/min, wherein:

• the puncture average is at least about 20 g higher at a puncture speed of 100 mm/min that at 25 mm/m in;
• the puncture average is at least about 30 g higher at a puncture speed of 100 mm/min that at 25 mm/min;
• the puncture average is at least about 40 g higher at a puncture speed of 100 mm/min that at 25 mm/min;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 250 g;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 250 g, and a thickness of the membrane is between 14 and 30 microns;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 275 g;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 275 g, and a thickness of the membrane is between 14 and 30 microns;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 300 g;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 300 g, and a thickness of the membrane is between 14 and 30 microns;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 325 g;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 325 g, and a thickness of the membrane is between 14 and 30 microns;
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 350 g;
• and/or
• the puncture average at a puncture speed of 25 mm/min is above 350 g, and a thickness of the membrane is between 14 and 30 microns.