Enhancing the Wettability of Lithium-Ion Battery Separator by Chemical and Physical Modification

Due to its good mechanical properties and chemical stability, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) has become a fantastic polyolefin for its application in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as the separator of electrodes. In this work, nano-silica as a mineral material and maleic anhydride as the compatibilizer of HDPE-silica were used at different combinations to promote the HDPE-based separator efficiency. The separator samples were examined from the wettability point of view after the extraction of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) oil from the compound to create porosity in the sample. The chemical and physical modifiers improved the LIB separator's electrolyte (۱.۰ molar lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF۶) added to a ۱:۱ mixture of ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) and ethylene carbonate (EC)) absorption from ۴۹.۴ to ۹۴.۲% which led to a decrease in the contact angle value from ۶۵ to ۴۰.۲ degrees. The obtained data indicated that the HDPE separators made of ۳ wt.% silica and maleic anhydride are the best candidates for LIBs