US-12620676-B2 - System and method for a ceramic-based composite coating for a coated battery separator

Abstract

A coated polymer separator for a battery cell is provided. The coated polymer separator includes a polymer separator including a first primary surface and a second primary surface. The coated polymer separator further includes a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface. The ceramic-based composite coating includes lithiated zeolite particles and particles of a second ceramic material including an oxide.

Inventors

• Xingcheng Xiao
• Mei Cai
• Sherman H. Zeng

Assignees

• GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230106

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A coated polymer separator for a battery cell, the coated polymer separator comprising: a polymer separator including: a first primary surface; and a second primary surface; and a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface, the ceramic-based composite coating including: lithiated zeolite particles; and particles of a second ceramic material including an oxide; wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the first primary surface: a first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material; and wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the second primary surface: a third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material.
2. 2 . The coated polymer separator of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes the lithiated zeolite particles mixed with the particles of the second ceramic material.
3. 3 . The coated polymer separator of claim 1 , wherein the first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
4. 4 . The coated polymer separator of claim 1 , wherein the second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
5. 5 . The coated polymer separator of claim 1 , wherein a layer of the lithiated zeolite particles is coated upon the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein a layer of the second ceramic material is coated upon the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
6. 6 . The coated polymer separator of claim 1 , wherein the second ceramic material is one of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), or Boehmite (Al(OH)O)(AlHO 2 ).
7. 7 . The coated polymer separator of claim 3 , wherein lithiated zeolite is present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating; and wherein the second ceramic material including an oxide may be present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating.
8. 8 . The coated polymer separator of claim 7 , wherein the coated polymer separator further includes an adhesive layer on one side or two sides; wherein the adhesive layer is laminated to the cathode or the anode; and wherein the adhesive layer affixes the cathode or the anode to the coated polymer separator.
9. 9 . A battery cell including a coated polymer separator, the battery cell comprising: an anode; a cathode; an electrolyte; and the coated polymer separator, including a polymer separator including: a first primary surface; and a second primary surface; and a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface, the ceramic-based composite coating including: lithiated zeolite particles; and particles of a second ceramic material including at least one oxide; wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the first primary surface: a first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material; and wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the second primary surface: a third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material.
10. 10 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes the lithiated zeolite particles mixed with the particles of the second ceramic material.
11. 11 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein the first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
12. 12 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein the second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
13. 13 . The battery cell of claim 12 , wherein the coated polymer separator further includes an adhesive layer on one side or two sides; wherein the adhesive layer is laminated to the cathode or the anode; and wherein the adhesive layer affixes the cathode or the anode to the coated polymer separator.
14. 14 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein a layer of the lithiated zeolite particles is coated upon the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein a layer of the second ceramic material is coated upon the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
15. 15 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein the second ceramic material is one of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), or Boehmite (Al(OH)O)(AlHO 2 ).
16. 16 . The battery cell of claim 9 , wherein lithiated zeolite is present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating; and wherein the second ceramic material including an oxide may be present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating.
17. 17 . A method to create a coated polymer separator for a battery cell including a ceramic-based composite coating, the method comprising: applying the ceramic-based composite coating to a first primary surface of a polymer separator; applying the ceramic-based composite coating to a second primary surface of the polymer separator; and drying the ceramic-based composite coating; and wherein the ceramic-based composite coating includes: lithiated zeolite particles; and particles of a second ceramic material including an oxide; wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the first primary surface: a first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material; and wherein the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the second primary surface: a third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles; and a fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the second ceramic material is one of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), magnesium oxide (MgO), or Boehmite (Al(OH)O)(AlHO 2 ).
19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.
20. 20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator; and wherein the fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator.

Description

INTRODUCTION The present disclosure relates to a system and method for a ceramic-based composite coating for a coated battery separator. Lithium-ion batteries and lithium metal batteries are desirable candidates for powering electronic devices in the consumer, automotive, and aerospace industries due to their relatively high energy density, high power density, lack of memory effect, and long cycle life, as compared to other rechargeable battery technologies, including lead-acid batteries, nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal-hydride batteries. The widespread commercialization of lithium batteries, however, is dependent upon their ensured performance under normal operating conditions, in the event of manufacturing defects, upon aging, as well as under a variety of abuse conditions, including exposure to high temperatures, overcharge, over-discharge, and exposure to external forces that physically damage one or more internal components thereof. Conditions that affect the thermal, chemical, electrical, and/or physical stability of lithium batteries may increase the internal temperature of such batteries, which may, in turn, set-off additional undesirable events and/or chemical reactions within the batteries that may lead to additional heat generation. SUMMARY A coated polymer separator for a battery cell is provided. The coated polymer separator includes a polymer separator including a first primary surface and a second primary surface. The coated polymer separator further includes a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface. The ceramic-based composite coating includes lithiated zeolite particles and particles of a second ceramic material including an oxide. In some embodiments, the ceramic-based composite coating further includes the lithiated zeolite particles mixed with the particles of the second ceramic material. In some embodiments, the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the first primary surface, a first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles and a second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material. The ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the second primary surface, a third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles and a fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material. In some embodiments, the first layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator. The third layer including the lithiated zeolite particles abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator. In some embodiments, the second layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the first primary surface of the polymer separator. The fourth layer including the particles of the second ceramic material abuts the second primary surface of the polymer separator. In some embodiments, a layer of the lithiated zeolite particles is coated upon the first primary surface of the polymer separator. A layer of the second ceramic material is coated upon the second primary surface of the polymer separator. In some embodiments, the second ceramic material is one of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), magnesium oxide (MgO), or Boehmite (Al(OH)O) (AlHO2). In some embodiments, lithiated zeolite is present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating. The second ceramic material including an oxide may be present within the ceramic-based composite coating in a range from 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the ceramic-based composite coating. In some embodiments, the lithiated zeolite present within the ceramic-based composite coating is controlled based upon a desired moisture to be retained within the coated polymer separator. According to one alternative embodiment, a battery cell including a coated polymer separator is provided. The battery cell includes an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and the coated polymer separator. The coated polymer separator includes a polymer separator including a first primary surface and a second primary surface. The coated polymer separator further includes a ceramic-based composite coating disposed on the first primary surface and the second primary surface. The ceramic-based composite coating includes lithiated zeolite particles and particles of a second ceramic material including at least one oxide. In some embodiments, the ceramic-based composite coating further includes the lithiated zeolite particles mixed with the particles of the second ceramic material. In some embodiments, the ceramic-based composite coating further includes, on the first primary surface, a first layer including the lithiated zeo