Resumen de Separadores poliméricos para celdas electroquímicas

Ángela Campo, Nuria García, P. Tiemblo

• español

  Las baterías electroquímicas secundarias son un área de gran actividad investigadora y tecnológica, pues están en la base de la descarbonización, la movilidad e incluso la digitalización. Además de mayores capacidades y densidades de energía, es crucial lograr que las celdas electroquímicas sean más seguras y duraderas, es decir, sin cortocircuitos, fugas de líquidos tóxicos o corrosivos, y que no sean inflamables. Los primeros separadores se concibieron como meras barreras mecánicas entre los electrodos, con transporte libre de iones. Sin embargo, los separadores pueden aportar mucho más, modificando propiedades fundamentales del electrolito, tales como el número de transporte, su polarización o el transporte indeseado de iones (shuttling), o impidiendo reacciones secundarias (parásitas), logrando depósitos metálicos más homogéneos y menores pérdidas de capacidad con los ciclos. Así mismo, pueden reducir la inflamabilidad de la celda, actuar como barrera al crecimiento denSecondary electrochemical batteries are currently amongst the most active technology and research areas, since they are at the base of decarbonization, mobility and even digitalization. Besides the search for higher capacity cells, it is crucial to make them longer-lasting and safer, that is, to avoid shortcircuiting, toxic or corrosive liquid leaks or flammability. The first separators were conceived as mere mechanical barriers allowing free ion flow. However, separators can offer much more, and modify fundamental electrolyte properties, such as transport number, polarization or unwanted ion shuttling, avoiding parasitic reactions, contributing to more homogeneous metallic deposition, and lower capacity loss on cycling. Likewise, separators can reduce cell flammability, pose a barrier to dendrites or act as thermal shutdown of the cell. In this article, the structure and properties of separators currently used in batteries, and the new functionalities for future separators are describeddrítico, o como cierre térmico (thermal shutdown) de la celda. En este artículo se describen la estructura y propiedades de los separadores empleados actualmente y se esbozan las nuevas funcionalidades con las que se dotará a los separadores del futuro.

• English

  Secondary electrochemical batteries are currently amongst the most active technology and research areas, since they are at the base of decarbonization, mobility and even digitalization. Besides the search for higher capacity cells, it is crucial to make them longer-lasting and safer, that is, to avoid shortcircuiting, toxic or corrosive liquid leaks or flammability. The first separators were conceived as mere mechanical barriers allowing free ion flow. However, separators can offer much more, and modify fundamental electrolyte properties, such as transport number, polarization or unwanted ion shuttling, avoiding parasitic reactions, contributing to more homogeneous metallic deposition, and lower capacity loss on cycling. Likewise, separators can reduce cell flammability, pose a barrier to dendrites or act as thermal shutdown of the cell. In this article, the structure and properties of separators currently used in batteries, and the new functionalities for future separators are described