Recent progress in lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries

Solid-state electrolytes are a promising family of materials for the next generation of high-energy rechargeable lithium batteries. Polymer electrolytes (PEs) have been widely investigated due to their main advantages, which include easy processability, high safety, good mechanical flexibility, and low weight. This review presents recent scientific advances in the design of versatile polymer-based electrolytes and composite electrolytes, underlining the current limitations and remaining challenges while highlighting their technical accomplishments. The recent advances in PEs as a promising application in structural batteries are also emphasized.

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Designing Versatile Polymers for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications: A Review

Abstract Electrospinning is a unique and versatile technique to produce fine submicrometric fibers and nanofibrous membranes from polymer solution or melt. In the last decade, fluorinated polymers (particularly polyvinylidene fluoride, PVDF, VDF copolymers and polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) have attracted significant attention in electrospinning processes. Fluoropolymers are extraordinary specialty materials characterized by outstanding properties, such as high chemical resistance, high thermostability, low surface energy, and electroactivity. Interestingly, electrospinning can further maximize their properties, thus allowing to fabricate advanced and fascinating nanostructured materials. Electrospun fluoropolymers show a tremendous potential for exciting applications in several areas, from filtration to environmental and energy fields (e.g. Li-ion batteries), chemical and biological sensing, electroactive applications, superhydrophobic coatings, textile and sport wear, and biomedical applications. This review presents the recent advances in the use of the wide family of fluoropolymers in electrospinning, describing the processes for the preparation of the fibrous materials, their properties, and their applications in several fields.

Electrospinning of Fluorinated Polymers: Current State of the Art on Processes and Applications

A review of self-healing electrolyte and their applications in flexible/stretchable energy storage devices

Flexible energy storage devices are becoming indispensable new elements of wearable electronics to improve our living qualities. As the main energy storage devices, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are gradually approaching their theoretical limit in terms of energy density. In recent years, lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with metallic Li as the anode are revived due to the extremely high energy density, and are considered to be one of the ideal alternatives for the next generation of flexible power supply. In this review, key technologies and scientific problems to be overcome for flexible LMBs are discussed. Then, the recent advances in flexible LMBs, including the design of flexible Li metal anodes, electrolytes, cathodes and interlayers, are summarized. In addition, we have summed up the research progress of flexible device configurations, and emphasized the importance of flexibility evaluation and functionality integration to ensure the wearing safety in complex environment. Finally, the challenges and future development of flexible LMBs are summarized and prospected. 

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Suping Zhou

Papers

A high ion-conducting, self-healing and nonflammable polymer electrolyte with dynamic imine bonds for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries

Nonflammable highly-fluorinated polymer electrolytes with enhanced interfacial compatibility for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries