Electrospun Nanofiber-Based Anodes, Cathodes, and Separators for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries

Novel nanofiber technologies present the opportunity to design new materials for advanced rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Among the various existing energy storage technologies, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are considered as effective solution to the increasing need for high-energy electrochemical power sources. This review addresses using electrospinning technology to develop novel composite nanofibers which can be used as anodes, cathodes, and separators for lithium-ion batteries. The discussion focuses on the preparation, structure, and performance of silicon/carbon (Si/C) nanofiber anodes, lithium iron phosphate/carbon (LiFePO4/C) nanofiber cathodes, and lithium lanthanum titanate oxide/polyacrylonitrile (LLTO/PAN) nanofiber separators. Si/C nanofiber anodes have the advantages of both carbon (long cycle life) and Si (high lithium-storage capacity). LiFePO4/C nanofiber cathodes show good electrochemical performance including satisfactory capacity and good cycling stability. LLTO/PAN nanofiber separators have large electrolyte uptake, high ionic conductivity, and low interfacial resistance with lithium, which increase the capacity and improve the cycling stability of lithium-ion cells. These results demonstrate that electrospinning is a promising approach to prepare high-performance nanofiber anodes, nanofiber cathodes, and nanofiber separators that can potentially replace currently-used lithium-ion battery materials.