A lithium-ion battery separator includes a substrate defining inter-particle pores and a zeolite coating on a surface of the substrate. The zeolite coating includes zeolite particles. The zeolite particles are hydrophobic and have an average diameter smaller than an average pore size of inter-particle pores of the substrate, such that some of the zeolite particles are positioned in some of the inter-particle pores. The separator is non-flammable In a lithium-ion battery, the substrate is a first electrode, and a second electrode is in direct contact with the zeolite coating. The lithium-ion battery includes a non-flammable salt-concentrated electrolyte, and the zeolite coating has a high wettability for the electrolyte. The lithium-ion battery is non-flammable.

A lithium-ion battery separator includes a substrate defining inter-particle pores and a zeolite coating on a surface of the substrate. The zeolite coating includes zeolite particles. The zeolite particles are hydrophobic and have an average diameter smaller than an average pore size of inter-particle pores of the substrate, such that some of the zeolite particles are positioned in some of the inter-particle pores. The separator is non-flammable In a lithium-ion battery, the substrate is a first electrode, and a second electrode is in direct contact with the zeolite coating. The lithium-ion battery includes a non-flammable salt-concentrated electrolyte, and the zeolite coating has a high wettability for the electrolyte. The lithium-ion battery is non-flammable.

Separators for zinc metal batteries, zinc metal batteries, and methods of fabricating a separator for use in a zinc metal battery are provided. The separator includes a hydrophilic membrane having a first side for facing a negative electrode when arranged in the zinc metal battery and a second side for facing a positive electrode when arranged in the zinc metal battery. The hydrophilic membrane includes a plurality of pores traversing the hydrophilic membrane from the first side to the second side enabling flow of zinc cations between the negative electrode and the positive electrode through the separator. Each of the pores may have a pore size ranging from about 0.1 to 1.3 μm.

Separators for zinc metal batteries, zinc metal batteries, and methods of fabricating a separator for use in a zinc metal battery are provided. The separator includes a hydrophilic membrane having a first side for facing a negative electrode when arranged in the zinc metal battery and a second side for facing a positive electrode when arranged in the zinc metal battery. The hydrophilic membrane includes a plurality of pores traversing the hydrophilic membrane from the first side to the second side enabling flow of zinc cations between the negative electrode and the positive electrode through the separator. Each of the pores may have a pore size ranging from about 0.1 to 1.3 μm.

Embodiments of this application provide a battery separator, including a polyolefin-based porous separator, where the polyolefin-based porous separator includes polyethylene resin, an elongation rate of the polyolefin-based porous separator in an MD direction is greater than 120%, an elongation rate in a TD direction is greater than 120%, and for the polyolefin-based porous separator, crystallinity at a first-time temperature rise of polyethylene that is measured by using a differential scanning calorimeter is less than 65%, crystallinity at a second-time temperature rise is less than 55%, and a difference between the crystallinity at the first-time temperature rise and the crystallinity at the second-time temperature rise is less than 12%. The battery separator features a high elongation rate and a low temperature of closing a pore.

Embodiments of this application provide a battery separator, including a polyolefin-based porous separator, where the polyolefin-based porous separator includes polyethylene resin, an elongation rate of the polyolefin-based porous separator in an MD direction is greater than 120%, an elongation rate in a TD direction is greater than 120%, and for the polyolefin-based porous separator, crystallinity at a first-time temperature rise of polyethylene that is measured by using a differential scanning calorimeter is less than 65%, crystallinity at a second-time temperature rise is less than 55%, and a difference between the crystallinity at the first-time temperature rise and the crystallinity at the second-time temperature rise is less than 12%. The battery separator features a high elongation rate and a low temperature of closing a pore.

A separator for a secondary battery, including a porous polymer substrate; a porous coating layer on at least one surface of the porous polymer substrate. The porous coating layer includes a plurality of inorganic particles and a first binder polymer that interconnects and fixes the inorganic particles; and an adhesive layer on a surface of the porous coating layer opposite to the porous polymer substrate. The adhesive layer includes a second binder polymer, and the adhesive layer includes a first layer in contact with the surface of the porous coating layer opposite to the porous polymer substrate, and a second layer integrated with the first layer and the second layer faces an electrode. The second layer has an average pore size larger than the average pore size of the first layer. The separator for a secondary battery can improve the problem related with resistance, while ensuring adhesion to an electrode.

A secondary battery that generates or includes metal-ion contaminants selected from copper ions, manganese ions, nickel ions, cobalt ions, iron ions, aluminum ions, chrome ions, molybdenum ions, tin ions or combinations thereof, the battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; a coated or uncoated battery separator between the anode and the cathode, wherein the coated or uncoated battery separator comprises a trap layer; and an electrolyte. The battery improve yield rate of initial charge and aging process and exhibits prolonged useful life due to the separator, which reduces or eliminates metal-ion contamination in the battery.

A negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery, a lithium secondary battery including the negative electrode, and a method for manufacturing the lithium secondary battery, where the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector; and a negative electrode active material layer on at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode active material layer includes a Si-containing negative electrode active material, a conductive material and a first binder polymer. The Si-containing negative electrode active material has cracks formed after activation, and a second binder polymer is present in the cracks. The first binder polymer and the second binder polymer are heterogeneous (e.g., different from each other). The lithium secondary battery shows improved life characteristics.

Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendering step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength. In a very particular embodiment, the inventive process produces a thin multilayer microporous membrane that is easily coated with polymeric-ceramic coatings, has excellent mechanical strength properties due to its polypropylene layer or layers and a thermal shutdown function due to its polyethylene layer or layers. The ratio of the thickness of the polypropylene and polyethylene layers in the inventive multilayer microporous membrane can be tailored to balance mechanical strength and thermal shutdown properties.