Waqas Ul Arifeen

Title : Novel method for fabrication of separator/electrolyte for lithium metal batteries

Abstract:

A two-step process was adapted to prepare the separator/electrolyte for lithium metal batteries. In the 1st step electrospinning process was used and in the 2nd step solution casting method was adapted to cast on the electrospun membrane. This dual step process of fabrication technique provides the co-existence of semi-crystalline structure in the separator/electrolyte membrane. The surface morphology of the membrane was analyzed with the help of SEM. The mechanical strength and thermal stability of the membrane was outstanding for the separator/electrolyte membrane. The mechanical strength test was performed by universal testing machine using the ASTM standard for the preparation of sample. The membrane showed both the elastic and plastic behavior in the stress strain curve and hence the membrane was ductile in nature. The thermal stability showed that the membrane was thermally stable up to 300 °C. The membrane was assembled in the coin cell to check out the electrochemical behavior. The membrane was compared with the commercial Celgard separator. The membrane outperformed in the ionic conductivity and lithium-ion transference number. The membrane showed wide electrochemical stability window and uniform lithium plating stripping behavior in the various current rates. When compared with commercial Celgard separator, the coin cell assembled with prepared membrane exhibits better rate capability and excellent cycling performance.

Audience take Away Notes: 

• The audience will be able to learn novel techniques of membrane fabrication, and advanced characterization techniques
• The research is a step forward to prepare safe and explosion free batteries
• The research is a practical solution to prepare separator/electrolyte for solid-state batteries
• The liquid electrolyte creates explosion and internal short circuiting, so this research could be a step forward for replacing the liquid electrolyte with solid electrolyte membrane

Biography:

Dr. Waqas Ul Arifeen studied Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Pakistan and graduated as BS in Engineering in 2015. He joined the research group of Professor Tae Jo Ko at Yeungnam University, South Korea. He received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2020. He is currently an International Research Professor in School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, South Korea. He has published more than 30 research articles in SCIE Journals in the field of energy storage devices applications specifically in lithium-ion, lithium metal, solid-state batteries and supercapacitors.