IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v6y2015i1d10.1038_ncomms7152.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A dendrite-suppressing composite ion conductor from aramid nanofibres

Author

Listed:
  • Siu-On Tung

    (Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, 2300 Hayward, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA)

  • Szushen Ho

    (Electrified Powertrain Engineering, Ford Motor Company, 1201 Village Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48121, USA)

  • Ming Yang

    (Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Micronanostructures Manufacturing, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2 Yikuang Street, Ann Arbor, Harbin 150080, P. R. China)

  • Ruilin Zhang

    (University of Michigan)

  • Nicholas A. Kotov

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

Dendrite growth threatens the safety of batteries by piercing the ion-transporting separators between the cathode and anode. Finding a dendrite-suppressing material that combines high modulus and high ionic conductance has long been considered a major technological and materials science challenge. Here we demonstrate that these properties can be attained in a composite made from Kevlar-derived aramid nanofibres assembled in a layer-by-layer manner with poly(ethylene oxide). Importantly, the porosity of the membranes is smaller than the growth area of the dendrites so that aramid nanofibres eliminate ‘weak links’ where the dendrites pierce the membranes. The aramid nanofibre network suppresses poly(ethylene oxide) crystallization detrimental for ion transport, giving a composite that exhibits high modulus, ionic conductivity, flexibility, ion flux rates and thermal stability. Successful suppression of hard copper dendrites by the composite ion conductor at extreme discharge conditions is demonstrated, thereby providing a new approach for the materials engineering of solid ion conductors.

Suggested Citation

  • Siu-On Tung & Szushen Ho & Ming Yang & Ruilin Zhang & Nicholas A. Kotov, 2015. "A dendrite-suppressing composite ion conductor from aramid nanofibres," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-7, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7152
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7152
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms7152
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/ncomms7152?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7152. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.