Recent Progress in Cellulose-based Composite Separators for High Performance Lithium Ion Batteries

In recent years, lithium batteries have attracted extensive interest owing to their recent application in large scale energy storage systems such as electric vehicles (EVs) and smart grids. However, the conventional microporous polyolefin separators suffer from a poor thermal shrinkage at relatively high temperatures above 90 degrees C, which has raised serious concern over their ability to prevent internal electrical short circuit at high temperature conditions. As a kind of thermosetting polymer material, cellulose is one of the most abundant, renewable resources on the Earth and possesses outstanding properties such as biocompatibility, desired chemical stability and high decomposition temperature of above 270 degrees C. The abundance, renewable and superior thermal stability could qualify cellulose a very promising material for battery application instead of fossil-based chemicals. Herein, the recent progress of cellulose-based composite separators for high power lithium ion batteries in literatures is briefly reviewed. The perspective and research frontiers in this fascinating field are presented as well.