Microporous sheet product and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, the microporous sheet product is made by a process that includes melt-extruding a sheet material using an extrusion mixture that includes a thermoplastic polymer, a superabsorbent polymer, and a compatibilizing agent. After extrusion, the compatibilizing agent may be removed from the sheet material. When the sheet product is imbibed with a polar or ion-containing liquid, the superabsorbent polymer swells, causing a reduction in the pore size of the sheet product. The exposure also causes some of the superabsorbent polymer to migrate to the exterior of the microporous sheet product. The microporous sheet product may be used, for example, as a battery separator, as a food packaging material, as a diffusion barrier in the ultrafiltration of colloidal matter, and in disposable garments.

This nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided with an electrode body that is obtained by alternately laminating a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes, with separators being interposed therebetween. Each separator is configured of a porous resin substrate and a porous heat-resistant layer that is formed on one surface of the resin substrate and has a larger surface roughness than the resin substrate. The electrode body comprises: bonding particles that bond a negative electrode and a heat-resistant layer with each other; and bonding particles that bond a positive electrode and a resin substrate with each other. The mass of the bonding particles per unit area in a first interface between the negative electrode and the heat-resistant layer is larger than the mass of the bonding particles per unit area in a second interface between the positive electrode and the resin substrate.

A ceramic-coated battery separator having a microporous polyolefin membrane and a ceramic coating on at least one surface of the microporous polyolefin membrane, wherein the ceramic-coated separator exhibits a strain shrinkage of 0% at temperatures greater than or equal to 120 degrees Celsius is provided.

An aspect of the present invention achieves a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery laminated separator which has excellent heat resistance and exhibits an excellent initial battery characteristic when used in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery laminated separator in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a polyolefin porous film; and a porous layer which (i) is disposed on at least one surface of the polyolefin porous film and (ii) includes a heat resistant filler, the porous layer having a surface which has cracks, a ratio of a total area of the cracks to a surface area of the porous layer being 0.15% to 10%.

An aspect of the present invention achieves a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery laminated separator which has excellent heat resistance and exhibits an excellent initial battery characteristic when used in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery laminated separator in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a polyolefin porous film; and a porous layer which (i) is disposed on at least one surface of the polyolefin porous film and (ii) includes a heat resistant filler, the porous layer having a surface which has cracks, a ratio of a total area of the cracks to a surface area of the porous layer being 0.15% to 10%.

An EB-PVD technique was used to fabricate ceramic/polymer/ceramic (LAGP/PE/LAGP) hybrid separator for rechargeable LIBs and Li batteries. The application of a ceramic electrolyte (LAGP) layer on traditional PE separator soaked in 1-M LiAsF.sub.6 liquid electrolyte combined the best attributes of traditional PE separator and solid inorganic electrolytes. The synergistic behavior of hybrid separator resulted in a high mechanical stability/flexibility, increased liquid uptake, high ion conduction, reduced cell voltage polarization, no lithium dendrite formation, and increased usable lithium content as compared to the state-of-the-art PE separator used in LIBs. The functional separator can be used to prolong life cycle and power capability of present LIBs. Thickness and density optimization of LAGP or similar electrolytes on polymer or other battery separators and their use in full Li battery (LIB, Li—S, Li—O.sub.2, Li—Ph, flow battery) cells are expected to further improve performance.

Provided is a laminated body in which a short circuit caused by the formation of a dendrite is prevented and which achieves stable voltage output. A laminated body (50) in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes a solid electrolyte layer (20) and a layer (30) that contains a heat-resistant resin and an ion-conductive material. The solid electrolyte layer (20) and the layer (30) containing the heat-resistant resin and the ion-conductive material are adjacent to each other.

A separator for a rechargeable battery includes a porous substrate and a heat resistance layer on at least one surface of the porous substrate. The heat resistance layer includes an acryl-based copolymer, an alkali metal, and a filler. The acryl-based copolymer includes a unit derived from (meth)acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid, a cyano group-containing unit, and a sulfonate group-containing unit.

Improved battery separators, base films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of making and/or using such separators, films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of enhancing battery or cell charge rates, charge capacity, and/or discharge rates, and/or methods of improving batteries, systems including such batteries, vehicles including such batteries and/or systems, and/or the like; biaxially oriented porous membranes, composites including biaxially oriented porous membranes, biaxially oriented microporous membranes, biaxially oriented macroporous membranes, battery separators with improved charge capacities and the related methods and methods of manufacture, methods of use, and the like; flat sheet membranes, liquid retention media; dry process separators; biaxially stretched separators; dry process biaxially stretched separators having a thickness range between about 5 μm and 50 μm, preferably between about 10 μm and 25 μm, having improved strength, high porosity, and unexpectedly and/or surprisingly high charge capacity, such as, for example, high 10 C rate charge capacity; separators or membranes with high charge capacity and high porosity, excellent charge rate and/or charge capacity performance in a rechargeable and/or secondary lithium battery, such as a lithium ion battery, for high power and/or high energy applications, cells, devices, systems, and/or vehicles, and/or the like; single or multiple ply or layer separators, monolayer separators, trilayer separators, composite separators, laminated separators, co-extruded separators, coated separators, 1 C or higher separators, at least 1 C separators, batteries, cells, systems, devices, vehicles, and/or the like; improved microporous battery separators for secondary lithium batteries, improved microporous battery separators with enhanced or high charge (C) rates, discharge (C) rates, and/or enhanced or high charge capacities in or for secondary lithium batteries, and/or related methods of manufacture, use, and/or the like, and/or combinations thereof are disclosed or provided.

Improved battery separators, base films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of making and/or using such separators, films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of enhancing battery or cell charge rates, charge capacity, and/or discharge rates, and/or methods of improving batteries, systems including such batteries, vehicles including such batteries and/or systems, and/or the like; biaxially oriented porous membranes, composites including biaxially oriented porous membranes, biaxially oriented microporous membranes, biaxially oriented macroporous membranes, battery separators with improved charge capacities and the related methods and methods of manufacture, methods of use, and the like; flat sheet membranes, liquid retention media; dry process separators; biaxially stretched separators; dry process biaxially stretched separators having a thickness range between about 5 μm and 50 μm, preferably between about 10 μm and 25 μm, having improved strength, high porosity, and unexpectedly and/or surprisingly high charge capacity, such as, for example, high 10 C rate charge capacity; separators or membranes with high charge capacity and high porosity, excellent charge rate and/or charge capacity performance in a rechargeable and/or secondary lithium battery, such as a lithium ion battery, for high power and/or high energy applications, cells, devices, systems, and/or vehicles, and/or the like; single or multiple ply or layer separators, monolayer separators, trilayer separators, composite separators, laminated separators, co-extruded separators, coated separators, 1 C or higher separators, at least 1 C separators, batteries, cells, systems, devices, vehicles, and/or the like; improved microporous battery separators for secondary lithium batteries, improved microporous battery separators with enhanced or high charge (C) rates, discharge (C) rates, and/or enhanced or high charge capacities in or for secondary lithium batteries, and/or related methods of manufacture, use, and/or the like, and/or combinations thereof are disclosed or provided.