Developments in small cell separators

As consumers and electronic device manufacturers continue to push for better battery performance, battery engineers are looking to component manufacturers for improvements. Engineers are finding that depending on the system, the separator can either play a critical performance related role or simply a stabilizing or protective role. Certainly at a minimum the separator must be constructed to work in harmony with the active components of the cell. Despite the best efforts of separator manufacturers the simple fact that the separator has to be there is difficult for some electrochemists to accept. Separators often only add impedance in the cell and take up space better utilized by active materials. The “ideal separator” thus would be invisible and still perform several key separator functions. Here, the authors describe the recent developments in small cell battery separator technology