Ultra-thin ceramic coating on separator for batteries

Abstract

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to separators, high performance electrochemical devices, such as, batteries and capacitors, including the aforementioned separators, systems and methods for fabricating the same. In one implementation, a separator is provided. The separator comprises a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The separator further comprises a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface. The first ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in a range from about 1,000 nanometers to about 5,000 nanometers. The separator further comprises a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface. The second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.

1 . A battery comprising:
 an anode;   a cathode; and   a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the separator comprises:
 a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface; 
 a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface; and 
 a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers. 
   
     
     
         2 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate is a microporous ion-conducting polymeric layer. 
     
     
         3 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first ceramic-containing layer and the second ceramic-containing layer independently comprises a material selected from porous aluminum oxide, porous-ZrO 2 , porous-HfO 2 , porous-SiO 2 , porous-MgO, porous-TiO 2 , porous-Ta 2 O 5 , porous-Nb 2 O 5 , porous-LiAlO 2 , porous-BaTiO 3 , ion-conducting garnet, anti-ion-conducting perovskites, porous glass dielectric, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer comprises a binder. 
     
     
         5 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in the range from about 50 nanometers to about 500 nanometers. 
     
     
         6 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the first ceramic-containing layer has a thickness in the range from about 1,000 nanometers and 5,000 nanometers. 
     
     
         7 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate has a thickness in a range from about 3 microns to about 25 microns. 
     
     
         8 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer substrate is a polyolefenic membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The battery of  claim 8 , wherein the polyolefinic membrane is a polyethylene membrane or a polypropylene membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer comprises porous aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The battery of  claim 10 , wherein the second ceramic-containing layer further comprises zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The battery of  claim 1 , further comprising a third ceramic-containing layer disposed on the second ceramic-containing layer. 
     
     
         13 . The battery of  claim 12 , wherein the third ceramic-containing layer comprises silicon oxide and is binder-free. 
     
     
         14 . The battery of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth ceramic-containing layer disposed on the third ceramic-containing layer. 
     
     
         15 . The battery of  claim 14 , wherein the fourth ceramic-containing layer comprises zirconium oxide, is binder-free, and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         16 . The battery of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises one or more of lithium metal, lithium-alloy, graphite, silicon-containing graphite, nickel, copper, tin, indium, silicon, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The battery of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte in ionic communication with the anode and the cathode via the separator. 
     
     
         18 . The battery of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a positive current collector contacting the cathode; and   a negative current collector contacting the anode, wherein the positive current collector and the negative current collector are each independently comprises one or more materials selected from aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt, tin, silicon, manganese, magnesium, alloys thereof, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         19 . A battery comprising:
 an anode comprising one or more of lithium metal, lithium-alloy, graphite, silicon-containing graphite, nickel, copper, tin, indium, silicon, or any combination thereof;   a cathode; and   a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the separator comprises:
 a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface; 
 a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface, wherein each of the first ceramic-containing layer and the second ceramic-containing layer independently comprises a material selected from porous aluminum oxide, porous-ZrO 2 , porous-HfO 2 , porous-SiO 2 , porous-MgO, porous-TiO 2 , porous-Ta 2 O 5 , porous-Nb 2 O 5 , porous-LiAlO 2 , porous-BaTiO 3 , ion-conducting garnet, anti-ion-conducting perovskites, porous glass dielectric, or combinations thereof; and 
 a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers. 
   
     
     
         20 . A battery comprising:
 an anode comprising one or more of lithium metal, lithium-alloy, graphite, silicon-containing graphite, nickel, copper, tin, indium, silicon, or any combination thereof;   a cathode; and   a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, wherein the separator comprises:
 a polymer substrate, capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface; 
 a first ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface; 
 a second ceramic-containing layer, capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface, wherein the second ceramic-containing layer is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers; and 
 a third ceramic-containing layer disposed on the second ceramic-containing layer, wherein the third ceramic-containing layer comprises silicon oxide and is binder-free.