Hebei Xingtang Huaicheng Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. has recently introduced a novel, low-cost separator for lithium-ion batteries. The separator is made of an inorganic trilayer membrane that consists of two layers of inorganic particles on each side of a PMMA thin film.

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems. They consist of a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte, all contained within a sealed case. The electrolyte is a liquid or gel that allows the flow of ions between the cathode and the anode during the charging and discharging cycles.

The separator is a critical component of the battery as it prevents the cathode and the anode from touching each other, which would result in a short circuit and a potential fire hazard. Moreover, the separator should allow the flow of ions between the cathode and the anode, but not electrons, to maintain the electrical balance of the battery.

The use of inorganic materials in battery separators has been explored in recent years as they offer several advantages over traditional polymer separators. Inorganic materials are more heat-resistant, mechanically stable, and chemically inert than polymers, which makes them more suitable for high-temperature applications and long-term storage.

The inorganic trilayer separator developed by Hebei Xingtang Huaicheng Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. is prepared by dip-coating inorganic particle layers on both sides of a PMMA thin film. The inorganic particles are expected to improve the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the separator, while the PMMA film acts as an insulator and ion conductor.

The company claims that the inorganic trilayer separator is cheaper to produce than traditional polymer separators and has better performance in terms of thermal stability and ion conductivity. The separator is also expected to have a longer lifespan and be more environmentally friendly than polymer separators.