Critical Perspective on Invalidation-Responsive Materials for Safe Lithium Ion Batteries

During the global energy transition, electric vehicles and electrochemical energy storage systems are rapidly gaining popularity, leading to a strong demand for lithium battery technology with high energy density and long lifespan. However, the highly integrated components, such as flammable polymers, organic electrolytes, and high energy density electrodes, make the batteries susceptible to thermal runaway (TR) under abuse conditions, resulting in fire and explosion incidents. The key approach to ensure the safe operation of LIBs including detecting and responding to thermal runaway characteristic parameters, that enables premature response window for disaster incidents and interruption of disaster propagation chain. This paper begins with the development characteristics of thermal runaway in lithium batteries and provides a review of research progress in areas such as the design principle in key battery components especially for polymers, multi-parameter responsive characteristics, and mechanisms for blocking thermal runaway. It analyzes the challenges faced by inorganic and organic materials based on multi-parameter responses in the fields of thermal response and thermal runaway suppression, and it looks ahead to research directions in the design and application of intelligent safety materials in new battery systems and complex scenarios. The findings aim to provide scientific guidance for promoting the design and application of high-safety lithium batteries.