Battery Cell Separators

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
Standards Development Organisation:
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Working Program:
View the UL work program
Designation Number:
ANSI/CAN/UL 2591
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

These requirements cover short-term test procedures to be used for the evaluation of battery cell

separators for use in lithium ion cells.  These separators are intended to provide electrical insulation

between the lithiumion cell electrodes while still allowing for ion transport between the electrodes, when

filled with electrolyte.  The test procedures covered in this standard provide data information with respect

to the physical, mechanical, thermal, flammability and other properties of the battery separator under

consideration.

Project need:

To obtain national recognition of a Standard covering battery cell separators that involves a comprehensive testing approach that establishes a more robust evaluation of lithium-ion battery cell separators as it relates to potential safety risks and performance. Battery cell separators are a critical component within a lithium-ion battery that supports its overall performance while facilitating its safe operation. As demand for lithium-ion batteries has grown across a broad array of consumer, industrial and infrastructure applications, so has the push to improve their energy density and battery life. To help improve battery performance, separators have been made progressively thinner and lighter, which has diminished the capability of some to perform critical functions such as preventing electrode contact or shutting the battery down when overheating occurs. The resultant safety risks could hinder the continued advancement of lithium-ion battery performance as well as the expansion of this sustainable energy source. This standard will help drive consistency in the evaluation of battery cell separators and identify the key properties of battery cell separators to help ensure that it is appropriate and safe for the scope of its intended use.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

Individual SDOs are responsible for the content and accuracy of the information presented here. The text is presented in the language in which it was provided to SCC.