Lithium ion battery

A method, comprising:

• selecting at least two different chelating agents, the at least two selected different chelating agents to complex with complex with:
• i) two or more different transition metal ions;
• ii) a transition metal ion in two or more different oxidation states;
• or
• iii) both i) and ii);
• wherein the at least two different chelating agents are to complex with transition metal ions in a manner sufficient to not affect movement of lithium ions across a nanoporous or microporous polymer separator during operation of a lithium ion battery, wherein the lithium ion battery includes:
• a positive electrode;
• a negative electrode;
• the nanoporous or microporous polymer separator soaked in an electrolyte solution, the nanoporous or microporous polymer separator operatively disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
• and
• the at least two different chelating agents, wherein the at least two different chelating agents are at least one of:
• dissolved or dispersed in the electrolyte solution;
• grafted onto the polymer of the nanoporous or microporous polymer separator as a substitute pendant group;
• attached to the binder material of the negative electrode;
• attached to the binder material of the positive electrode;
• disposed within pores of the separator;
• coated on a surface of the separator;
• coated on a surface of the negative electrode;
• and
• coated on a surface of the positive electrode;
• and wherein the at least two different chelating agents are selected from:
• ion traps in molecular form selected from the group consisting of:
• polyamines, thiols, alkali metal salts of organic acids, and combinations thereof;
• polymers functionalized with alkali metal salts of organic acids;
• polymers functionalized with nitrogen-containing functional groups;
• polymers functionalized with two or more functional groups;
• and
• polymers functionalized with cyclic structures, the cyclic structures being selected from the group consisting of crown ethers, aza-crown ethers, cryptands, lariat ethers, calixarenes, calixcrowns, and combinations thereof.

A lithium ion battery separator, comprising:

• a nanoporous or microporous membrane;
• and
• at least two different chelating agents, the at least two selected different chelating agents to complex with complex with:
• i) two or more different transition metal ions;
• ii) a transition metal ion in two or more different oxidation states;
• or
• iii) both i) and ii);
• wherein the at least two different chelating agents are operatively disposed within pores of the membrane, tethered to a ceramic material of the membrane, grafted onto a polymer of the membrane as a substitute pendant group, or included as a filler material within a polymer separator matrix, the at least two different chelating agents to complex with transition metal ions in a manner sufficient to not affect movement of lithium ions across the separator during operation of the lithium ion battery;
• wherein the at least two different chelating agents are selected from:
• ion traps in molecular form selected from the group consisting of:
• polyamines, thiols, alkali metal salts of organic acids, and combinations thereof;
• polymers functionalized with alkali metal salts of organic acids;
• polymers functionalized with nitrogen-containing functional groups;
• polymers functionalized with two or more functional groups;
• and
• polymers functionalized with cyclic structures, the cyclic structures being selected from the group consisting of crown ethers, aza-crown ethers, cryptands, lariat ethers, calixarenes, calixcrowns, and combinations thereof.