I-Corps: Ultrastrong, thermally stable aramid nanofibers (ANFs) membranes

提高高容量、高放电率电池的安全性对所有电池技术都至关重要。 安全问题源于分隔电池正负极的隔膜的破裂。 这些事件导致短路，从而导致过热和火灾。用于这些膜的聚合物必须是坚固的、耐温的，并且具有非常小的均匀的孔。这些新材料的成功制备和使用可以将电池的比能量提高到200 Wh/kg，使新一代电动汽车具有更长的里程，更轻的重量，更高的速度和更好的安全标准。这个I-Corps项目的重点是通过评估密歇根大学最近发明的芳纶纳米纤维膜平台技术来解决安全膜问题的新方法。 它们由著名的凯夫拉纤维制成，具有出色的高温弹性和高强度。 芳族聚酰胺片材可潜在地适用于广泛的电池。 在该项目的过程中，该团队将为汽车工业和消费电子生产商建立基于纳米纤维的膜的技术潜力。 该团队还将评估芳纶纤维膜在过滤和脱盐方面的其他潜在用途。

Increasing the safety of high-capacity, high-discharge rate batteries is essential for all battery technologies. The safety problems stem from the breakdown of membranes separating the positive and negative poles of the battery. Such events lead to short-circuits leading to overheating and fires. Polymers for these membranes must be strong, temperature resilient, and have very small uniform pores. Successful preparation and use of these new materials could raise the specific energy of batteries to 200 Wh/kg, making possible a new generation of electrical vehicles with longer range, lower weight, higher speed, and better safety standards. This I-Corps project is focused on new approaches to resolve this problem of safe membranes by evaluating the platform technology of aramid nanofibers membranes recently invented at University of Michigan. They are made from well-known Kevlar and show exceptional resilience to high temperature as well as high strength. Aramid nanofiber sheets can be potentially applicable for a wide spectrum of batteries. In the course of this project the team will establish the technological potential of the nanofiber-based membranes for automotive industry and consumer electronics producers. The team will also evaluate other potential uses of aramid nanofiber membranes for filtration and desalination.