Crosslinking of poly(vinylene fluoride) separators by gamma-irradiation for electrochemical high power charge applications

Multiple-Step Melting/Irradiation: A Strategy to Fabricate Thermoplastic Polymers with Improved Mechanical Performance

To fabricate thermoplastic polymers exhibiting improved ductility without the loss of strength, a novel multiple-step melting/irradiation (MUSMI) strategy was developed by taking poly(vinylidene fluoride)/triallyl isocyanate (PVDF/TAIC) as an example, in which alternate melting and irradiation were adopted and repeated for several times. The initial irradiation with a low dose produced some local crosslinked points (not 3-dimensional network). When the specimen was reheated above the melting temperature, they redistributed in the PVDF matrix, which is an efficient way to avoid the high crosslinking density at certain positions and the disappearance of thermoplastic properties. During the subsequent cooling process, the crosslinked domains in the thermoplastic polymer matrix is expected to play double roles in turning crystal structures for enhancing the ductility without reducing strength. On one hand, they can act as heterogeneous nucleation agents, resulting in higher nucleation density and smaller spherulites; on the other hand, the existence of crosslinked structures restricts the lamellar thickening, accounting for the thinner crystal lamellae. Both smaller spherulites and thinner lamellae contribute to better ductility. At the same time, these local crosslinked points enhance the connectivity of crystal structures (including lamellae and spherulites), which is beneficial to the improvement of strength. Based on the influence of local crosslinked points on the ductility and strength, thermoplastic PVDF with much higher elongation at break and comparable yielding stress (relative to the reference specimen upon strong irradiation only once) was prepared via MUSMI successfully.

Recent Advances in Poly(vinylidene fluoride) and Its Copolymers for Lithium-Ion Battery Separators

The separator membrane is an essential component of lithium-ion batteries, separating the anode and cathode, and controlling the number and mobility of the lithium ions. Among the polymer matrices most commonly investigated for battery separators are poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE), poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), and poly(vinylidene fluoride-cochlorotrifluoroethylene) (PVDF-CTFE), due to their excellent properties such as high polarity and the possibility of controlling the porosity of the materials through binary and ternary polymer/solvent systems, among others. This review presents the recent advances on battery separators based on PVDF and its copolymers for lithium-ion batteries. It is divided into the following sections: single polymer and co-polymers, surface modification, composites, and polymer blends. Further, a critical comparison between those membranes and other separator membranes is presented, as well as the future trends on this area.