Enhancement of Cycle Performance of Lithium Secondary Batteries Based on Nano-Composite Coated PVdF Membrane

Abstract

The multilayered membrane for lithium rechargeable batteries based on poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) is prepared with the coated layer containing nano-sized filler. The prepared membranes were subjected to studies of mechanical strength, morphology, interfacial stability, impedance spectroscopy, ionic conductivity, and cycle performance. The localized inorganic filler in the PVdF composite membrane rendered mechanical strength much reduced because of its low stretching ratio and it results in around half value of the mechanical strength of highly stretched PVdF membrane. In order to achieve high ionic conductivity and interfacial stability without sac- rificing high mechanical strength, coating layer with nano-filler was newly introduced to PVdF membrane. The ionic conductivity of the coated membrane was 1.03 mS/cm, and the interface between the coating layer and PVdF membrane was stable when the membrane was immersed into liquid electrolyte. The discharge capacity of the cell based on nano-filler coated PVdF membrane was around 91% of the initial discharge capacity after 250 cycles, which is an improvement in cycle performance compared to the case for the non-coated PVdF membrane.