The project, “Development of Technique of Functional Separators for Power batteries with high safety", has recently been completed with a pilot production line that outputs 3 million square meters ceramic-separator annually. This project, undertaken by Prof. Jinbao Zhao at Xiamen University and China Aviation Lithium Battery (Luoyang) Co., LTD., was supported by National High-tech Research and Development Projects (863 plan). On the basis of the pilot line, processing techniques such as recipe solidification, slurry adjusting, coating and slitting process were successfully completed and a productive capacity has already been formed. Furthermore, the batteries with the produced ceramic-separator have been designed and tested. This project will play an important role in improving safety and application of the power lithium ion battery, and is also an improvement and supplement of the industry chain of the lithium ion power battery in China.

The aim of the project is to develop high safety separators for power batteries, to promote the related techniques and material engineering, to research and develop production technology of separators for power batteries, and to achieve high performance and low cost of separators in order to satisfy practical applications and industry demands. The research team developed a special technology for surface treatment of porous film and a more efficient dispersion technology for inorganic ceramic powder to optimize coating effect of ceramic powder, and also established dose-effect relationship between coating thickness, ceramic type, particle size, surface characteristics and battery performance, which summarizes the laws of ceramic-separator technical parameters. The separator has functionalities of both so-called “shutdown” and high heat resistance that meets world advanced level.

At present, the separator exhibits better performance than the similar products abroad, especially on the aspects of less than 2% of thermal shrinkage for 3μm-thickness Al2O3-coated PE separator in exposure to 150oC for 2 hours. The separator so far shows a great application prospect due to the low cost of below RMB￥10 /m2. The products, once put into operation, hold a promising future on the broad applications in automotive lithium-ion battery, digital products and other areas that will greatly improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries.

Resources originated from: http://www.most.gov.cn/gnwkjdt/201307/t20130703_106882.htm