Lithium batteries could become less expensive and safer using materials developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers and Porous Power Technologies LLC. The replacement of polymer separators with lower-cost ceramics and mineral fillers can also improve a battery's thermomechanical properties, making it less likely to overheat or ignite because of shorting. The technology provides enhanced durability, increased reliability and a 7 to 8 percent increase in the battery's long-term cycling performance, according to David Wood III. This breakthrough membrane technology, called SYMMETRIX HPX-F separator, could affect electric vehicles, grid storage applications, portable electronic applications, filters, barrier fabrics, transdermal drug delivery and toxic chemical absorption. [Written by Jennifer Brouner, (865) 241-9515; brounerjm@ornl.gov]
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