Coated separator for energy storage device
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJangwoo Kim, Young-Hye Na, Andy Theodora Tek
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Abstract
An energy storage device includes an anode; a cathode; an electrolyte in contact with both the anode and the cathode; and an electrically non-conductive, porous separator between the anode and the cathode. At least one major surface of the porous separator includes a coating with a layer having a star polymer. The star polymer includes a hydrophobic core and at least three arms, wherein at least some of the arms includes ion-conductive polar functional groups.
Claims24
An energy storage device, comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- an electrolyte in contact with both the anode and the cathode;
- and
- an electrically non-conductive, porous separator between the anode and the cathode, wherein at least one surface of the porous separator comprises a coating having a layer comprising a star polymer, wherein the star polymer comprises a hydrophobic core and at least three arms, and wherein at least some of the arms comprise ion-conductive polar functional groups.
A method of making a porous separator for an energy storage device, the method comprising:
- applying on a surface of the porous separator an aqueous solution of star polymers, wherein the star polymers comprise a hydrophobic core and at least three arms having ion-conductive polar functional groups;
- and
- draining excess of the aqueous solution of the star polymers to form a coated porous separator.
An energy storage device, comprising:
- an anode comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, magnesium, and mixtures and combinations thereof;
- a cathode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, metal oxides capable of metal-ion intercalation, and mixtures and combinations thereof;
- an electrolyte in contact with both the anode and the cathode;
- and
- an electrically non-conductive, porous separator between the anode and the cathode, wherein at least one surface of the porous separator comprises a coating having a single layer of self-assembled star polymers, wherein the star polymers comprise a hydrophobic core and at least six arms, and wherein at least some of the arms comprise a backbone formed from a compound selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGMA), dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), methacrylic acid (PMAA), precursors of the foregoing, and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.