Flame-Retardant Separators Based on Phosphorylated Cellulose Derived from Alfa Fibers for Lithium-Ion Batteries
摘要
In the pursuit of developing cost-effective, sustainable, and safe alternatives to polyolefin-based separators in lithium-ion batteries, this study presents flame-retardant separators based on functionalized cellulose derived from alfa fibers and phosphate. Specific chemical treatments, including bleaching and phosphorylation, were applied to alfa fibers to produce cellulose microfibers (CMF) and phosphorylated cellulose microfibers (P-CMF). These fibers were then processed in a semi-automatic sheet former (papermaking machine) into CMF and P-CMF membranes. Comparative analysis with commercial membrane (CM) separator revealed that these cellulosic membranes possess notably higher porosity, enhanced electrolyte uptake, and increased ionic conductivity. In practical battery application, such as in lithium/graphite half-cell, the cellulosic and CM separators demonstrated comparable charge-discharge capacity and cycling stability, indicating the cellulosic membranes capability to perform on par with commercial alternatives. Hence, this study highlights the potential of phosphorylated alfa cellulose as a safe, high-performance, and stable separator for lithium-ion batteries and for other energy storage devices.