Designing inorganic-organic nanofibrous composite membrane for advanced safe Li-ion capacitors

Flexible self-supporting inorganic nanofiber membrane-reinforced solid-state electrolyte for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries

Compounding of suitable fillers with PEO-based polymers is the key to forming high-performance electrolytes with robust network structures and homogeneous Li+-transport channels. In this work, we innovatively and efficiently prepared Al2O3 nanofibers and deposited an aqueous dispersion of Al2O3 into a membrane via vacuum filtration to construct a nanofiber membrane with a three-dimensional (3D) network structure as the backbone of a PEO-based solid-state electrolyte. The supporting effect of the nanofiber network structure improved the mechanical properties of the reinforced composite solid-state electrolyte and its ability to inhibit the growth of Li dendrites. Meanwhile, interconnected nanofibers in the PEO-based electrolyte and the strong Lewis acid-base interactions between the chemical groups on the surface of the inorganic filler and the ionic species in the PEO matrix provided facilitated pathways for Li+ transport and regulated the uniform deposition of Li+. Moreover, the interaction between Al2O3 and lithium salts as well as the PEO polymer increased free Li+ concentration and maintained its stable electrochemical properties. Hence, assembled Li/Li symmetric cells achieved a cycle life of more than 2000 h. LFP/Li and NMC811/Li cells provided high discharge specific capacities of up to 146.9 mA h g-1 (0.5C and 50 °C) and 166.9 mA h g-1 (0.25C and 50 °C), respectively. The prepared flexible self-supporting 3D nanofiber network structure construction can provide a simple and efficient new strategy for the exploitation of high-performance solid-state electrolytes.

Alumina Ceramic Nanofibers: An Overview of the Spinning Gel Preparation, Manufacturing Process, and Application

As an important inorganic material, alumina ceramic nanofibers have attracted more and more attention because of their excellent thermal stability, high melting point, low thermal conductivity, and good chemical stability. In this paper, the preparation conditions for alumina spinning gel, such as the experimental raw materials, spin finish aid, aging time, and so on, are briefly introduced. Then, various methods for preparing the alumina ceramic nanofibers are described, such as electrospinning, solution blow spinning, centrifugal spinning, and some other preparation processes. In addition, the application of alumina ceramic nanofibers in thermal insulation, high-temperature filtration, catalysis, energy storage, water restoration, sound absorption, bioengineering, and other fields are described. The wide application prospect of alumina ceramic nanofibers highlights its potential as an advanced functional material with various applications. This paper aims to provide readers with valuable insights into the design of alumina ceramic nanofibers and to explore their potential applications, contributing to the advancement of various technologies in the fields of energy, environment, and materials science.