A Brock University research team has developed new materials that could increase the efficiency of batteries and hybrid energy storage devices.<\/p>\n
Assistant Professor of Physics and Engineering Jasneet Kaur and her team are working to develop advanced battery separators using solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs).<\/p>\n
These membranes \u2014 which can be made of SPEs, liquid electrolytes and a number of other materials \u2014 physically separate the positive and negative terminals inside a battery while still allowing charged particles called ions to travel between them. Ionic movement, or ionic conductivity, is what allows batteries to generate an electric current.<\/p>\n
Kaur says SPEs are promising materials for next-generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries because they are flexible, easy to manufacture and safer than conventionally used liquid electrolytes , which can be flammable.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing SPEs could help protect the environment by making batteries safer, longer-lasting, and more efficient \u2014 reducing waste and supporting the transition to clean energy technologies,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
But ions in SPEs move relatively slowly, Kaur says, making them less effective as conductors.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result, batteries charge more slowly, deliver power less efficiently and may lose performance over time due to limited ion mobility,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Her research team, which includes physics master\u2019s student Hansima Keppetiyawa and PhD students Pritish Kumar Behura and Teresa Dong, searched for a way to increase SPE conductivity.<\/p>\n
After closely examining some of the properties of commercial membranes, the team synthesized advanced material called titanium carbide MXene and incorporated that into different polymer matrices to create SPE membranes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that the membranes made with the MXene material were stronger and more effective at facilitating ion transport between the battery\u2019s positive and negative terminals,\u201d Kaur says. \u201cThese ultrathin MXene structures act like highways for faster ion conduction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kaur says these traits make the team\u2019s new SPEs ideal for use in next-generation solid-state batteries, especially in locations dealing with the impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n
\u201cConventional membranes start to degrade at higher temperatures,\u201d adds Behura. \u201cIn contrast, our membrane remains stable under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, which could improve battery performance and sustainability in extreme environments.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team is looking into the possibility of commercializing their innovative battery membrane for wide application, says Kaur.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s findings are outlined in their paper, \u201cTitanium Carbide MXene Enabling Temperature-Dependent High Ionic Conductivity in Solid Polymer Electrolytes<\/a>,\u201d published March 3 in the journal Graphene and 2D Materials<\/em>.<\/p>\n