Jurnal Reaksi (Journal of Science and Technolog.
Jurusan Teknik Kimia Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe Vol.
23 No.
December 2025 ISSN 1693-248X
MODIFICATION OF NANO CHITOSAN AND POLYURETHANE ON THE
THICKNESS AND THERMAL STABILITY OF LITHIUM ION BATTERY
SEPARATORS
Kiki Salsa Nabila Wahyudi1*.
Teuku Rihayat1.
Alfian Putra1 Chemical Engineering.
Lhokseumawe State Polytechnic.
Jl.
Banda Aceh-Medan Km.
Buketrata.
Mosque Punteut.
Blang Mangat.
Lhokseumawe City.
Aceh 24301.
Indonesia *Email: kikisalsanabilawahyudi@gmail.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to modify lithium-ion battery separators using a combination of polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), and nano chitosan, and to evaluate the effects of varying composition ratios and soaking time on thickness and thermal stability.
The separators were fabricated using the casting method with variations in the PP:PU:Nano Chitosan ratio .
:1:5, 4:2:4, 4:3:3, 4:4:2, and 4:5:.
and soaking times of 1Ae5 days.
Characterization included thickness (Digital Thickness Gaug.
, thermal stability .
hermal shrinkage test and TGA), and surface morphology (SEM).
The results showed that a 4:3:3 ratio with 3 days of soaking produced the best performance, with a thickness of 23Ae25 AAm, low thermal shrinkage .
1%), degradation onset at 370.
10 AC, degradation peak at 429.
73 AC,
and a dense and uniform morphology with well-distributed pores.
This formulation is recommended as a potential separator for lithium-ion battery applications.
Keywords: Battery.
Lithium-ion.
Nano Chitosan.
Polypropylene.
Polyurethane.
Separator the performance of the separator (Arifin.
To overcome these limitations, the separator was modified by adding functional fillers such as nano chitosan.
Nano chitosan has a structure that allows the formation of uniform pores, improves thermal stability, and supports better ion Therefore, this study modified PP- and PU-based separators by adding nano chitosan using the casting method.
The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of soaking time and material composition variations on the thickness and thermal stability of the separator, as well as to analyze the surface morphology using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
INTRODUCTION
1 Background Lithium-ion batteries (LIB.
are one of the widely used energy storage technologies in modern life because they have good cycle performance, high energy density, and low self-discharge rates.
One important component in LIBs is the separator, which serves as a physical barrier between the cathode and anode to prevent short circuits while also facilitating the movement of lithium ions during the battery charging and discharging processes (Perdana, 2.
Commercial separators are generally made from polymers such as polyethylene (PE), (PP), polyurethane (PU).
PU has good dielectric and mechanical properties as well as low cost, but it is weak in thermal stability and electrolyte compatibility (Cheng et al.
Meanwhile.
PP has low polarity and limited electrolyte absorption.
This can reduce the risk of electrolyte leakage, but it also causes thermal shrinkage at high temperatures, which can compromise RESEARCH METHODS Research methodology 1 Research Place This research was conducted in the Basic Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Laboratory of the Chemical Engineering Department at Lhokseumawe State Polytechnic.
Jurnal Reaksi (Journal of Science and Technolog.
Jurusan Teknik Kimia Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe Vol.
23 No.
December 2025 ISSN 1693-248X In a glass beaker, add the PP and dissolve it at a temperature of 195AC.
Add the Nanokitosan solution and polyurethane to the PP solution.
Stir until all components are evenly mixed.
Place the solution mixture on a hot plate and set the temperature to 70AC.
Stir the solution using a magnetic stirrer for 2 hours to achieve good After stirring, pour the solution onto the surface of the ITO glass, cover it with a smooth ITO glass on top to form a thin film layer .
Let the mixture harden and form a thin film.
Once the film is formed, immerse the layer in deionized water .
with immersion variations from 1 to 5 days.
After soaking, place the mold containing the solution in an oven at 40AC to dry the separator film for 6 hours.
Once dry, remove the separator film from the mold and it is ready for testing.
1 Tools and Materials 1 Tools used Equipment used in this research includes beaker glass, measuring pipette, measuring glass, spatula, hot plate and magnetic stirrer.
ITO glass, casting equipment, vacuum oven, optical tissues, ultrasonic device, analytical balance, digital thickness gauge, a set of Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) equipment, as well as a set of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipment.
2 Materials used The ingredients used in this research include polypropylene (PP), distilled water, acetic acid, polyurethane (PU), and nano chitosan.
3 Experimental Treatment Design 1 Fixed Variables - Synthesis Time: 2 Hours - Synthesis Temperature: 70AC - Drying Temperature: 40AC - Drying Time: 6 Hours - Polypropylene Weight: 4 grams RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 1 Research Results 2 Independent Variables - Polyurethane Weight : Nano chitosan : .
:5, 2:4, 3:3, 4:2 and 5:.
grams - Soaking Time : .
, 2, 3, 4 and .
Days Table 3.
1 Data from Test Results and Observation Analysis Soakin Time (Day.
Sample PP:PU:Na no Kitosan .
4:1:5 3 Dependent Variable Lithium Ion Battery Separator Thickness Test Thermal Shrinkage Test Thermal Resistance Test (TGA) SEM Test (Scanning Electron Microscop.
4:2:4 4:3:3 4:4:2 4:5:1 4:1:5 4:2:4 4 Experimental and Testing Procedures 1 Synthesis Process of PP/PU/Nano Chitosan Separator Film Weigh 4 grams of polypropylene (PP) and variations of polyurethane with Nanokitosan weights: .
:5, 2:4, 3:3, 4:2, and 5:.
4:3:3
4:4:2
4:5:1
4:1:5
4:2:4
4:3:3
Mass Awal .
0,25 0,25 0,25 0,24 0,24 0,25 0,25 0,24 0,24 0,24
0,25
0,25
0,24
Mass Akhi r .
Thermal
Shrinka
ge Test
(%)
Thickne ss Test
0,25 0,25 0,24 0,24 0,23 0,25 0,25 0,24 0,24 0,23
0,25
0,24
0,24
0,77
0,78
0,80
0,81
1,23
1,56
1,18
1,20
1,22
1,65
1,80
1,59
1,61
Jurnal Reaksi (Journal of Science and Technolog.
Jurusan Teknik Kimia Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe Vol.
23 No.
December 2025 ISSN 1693-248X Soakin Time (Day.
Sample PP:PU:Na no Kitosan .
4:4:2 4:5:1 4:1:5 4:2:4 4:3:3 4:4:2 4:5:1 4:1:5 4:2:4 4:3:3
4:4:2
4:5:1
Mass Awal .
Mass Akhi r .
0,24 0,24 0,23 0,25 0,24 0,25 0,25 0,24 0,24 0,24
0,25
0,25
0,24
0,24
0,24
0,24
0,24
0,23
0,23
0,24
0,24
0,24
0,23
0,23
Thermal
Shrinka
ge Test
(%)
Thickne ss Test
1,63 2,50 2,32 1,98 2,02 2,05 2,88 3,11 2,76 2,41
2,45
3,73
Figure 3.
1 Thickness Graph .
Based on Sample Ratio by Soaking Days After the vacuum drying process, a thickness test was conducted to evaluate the dimensional stability of the separator.
Measurements on 25 samples with variations in the PP:PU:Nano Chitosan ratio and soaking times of 1Ae5 days showed that the composition significantly affected the film thickness.
Thickness increased in ratios with high nano chitosan content .
:1:5 and 4:2:.
with values of 27Ae30 AAm and 25Ae27 AAm, exceeding the commercial separator standard (<25 AA.
The 4:3:3 ratio produced a thickness of 23Ae25 AAm, closest to the standard, indicating dimensional Conversely, the 4:4:2 and 4:5:1 ratios resulted in thin films .
5Ae23.
5 AAm and 20Ae22 AA.
, which could reduce mechanical strength.
Thus, the 4:3:3 ratio was considered the most optimal in meeting the lithium-ion battery separator thickness criteria.
The Effect of Composition Ratio
on the Thermal Stability of the Separator Penyusutan Termal
(%)
2 Discussion From the research results on lithium-ion battery separators using Polypropylene.
Nanocellulose.
Polyurethane.
Polypropylene serves as the main material for making lithium-ion battery separators.
Polyurethane functions as a flexible binder material that can enhance the elasticity and mechanical strength of the Meanwhile, nano chitosan acts as a functional filler that can improve the porosity and homogeneity of the film Ketebalan .
1 The Effect of Soaking Time on the Thickness of Lithium-Ion Battery Separators Hari ke 1 Hari ke 2 Hari ke 3 Hari ke 4 Hari ke 5 Hari Ke 1 Hari Ke 2 Hari Ke 3 Hari Ke 4 Hari Ke 5 Sampel PP : PU : Nano Kitosa Figure 3.
2 Graph of the Effect of Soaking Time on Thermal Shrinkage Thermal shrinkage in lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators occurs due to exposure to high temperatures, which can potentially reduce the structural integrity of the separator.
The thermal stability of the separator was evaluated through thermal shrinkage testing at 40 AC for 6 Based on the test results on 25 Sampel PP:PU:Nano Kitosan Jurnal Reaksi (Journal of Science and Technolog.
Jurusan Teknik Kimia Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe Vol.
23 No.
December 2025 ISSN 1693-248X samples, all compositions showed shrinkage of less than 5%, thus still meeting LIB separator safety standards.
The 4:3:3 ratio (PP:PU:Nano Chitosa.
produces the lowest shrinkage results (A0.
5Ae2.
throughout the soaking period, indicating high resistance to thermal deformation.
contrast, the 4:1:5 and 4:2:4 ratios experienced shrinkage of up to 2.
while the 4:5:1 ratio reached 3.
3%, close to the standard limit.
This suggests that an excess of nano chitosan tends to increase dimensional instability due to its hydrophilic properties, whereas an excess of PU reduces resistance to thermal Therefore, the 4:3:3 ratio is considered the most optimal in maintaining the thermal stability of the The selected sample .
:3:3, soaked for 3 day.
was then tested using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA).
The test results showed initial degradation at 06 AC, onset at 370.
10 AC, mid-point 73 AC, and endset at 502.
41 AC
with a mass loss of 27.
This confirms that the PP/PU/Nano Chitosan-based separator has good thermal stability, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 500 AC, and is highly suitable for LIB applications operating at temperatures below 100 AC.
Picture.
3 SEM Test Results of PP.
PU, and Nano Chitosan 4:3:3 SEM testing was conducted on the best sample with a 4:3:3 ratio to observe the surface morphology of the separator.
The observation results showed an uneven surface texture due to phase imbalance during the casting process, with relatively large and evenly distributed pores.
Although the dispersion of chitosan and PU in the PP matrix has not fully met commercial separator standards, the resulting morphology still supports the application of lithium-ion battery separators through a combination of good mechanical strength and sufficient porosity for ion diffusion.
CONCLUSION
1 Conclusion Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, the following conclusions can be drawn:
The composition of Polypropylene (PP).
Nano Chitosan, and Polyurethane (PU) as well as the soaking time affect the physical and thermal properties of lithium-ion battery separators.
The optimal ratio was obtained at 4:3:3 with a soaking time of 3 days, resulting in a thickness of 23Ae 25 m and the lowest thermal shrinkage values of 52.
Furthermore, the Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) results showed a degradation onset temperature of 370.
10 AC and a degradation peak at 429.
73 AC, indicating that this composition has good thermal stability and meets the criteria for lithium-ion battery separators.
The surface morphology characteristics of the separator from SEM analysis at a 4:3:3 ratio show that the film surface structure has an uneven texture due to phase imbalance during casting.
The pore sizes are still large and evenly distributed across the entire film surface.
Surface Morphology Characteristics of Separators Based on Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) 2 Suggestions Based on the conclusions drawn, the following suggestions are given:
electrochemical testing, such as ionic conductivity and electrolyte absorption, to directly evaluate the performance of the separator in a lithium-ion battery cell.
BIBLIOGRAPHY