FUNCTIONALIZED SEPARATORS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS, ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS MADE THEREWITH, AND METHODS OF MAKING EACH OF THE SAME

Functionalized porous matrices that store functional liquids prior to being installed into an electrochemical cell, such as a battery cell or supercapacitor. In some embodiments, a functionalized porous matrix of the present disclosure may be deployed as a separator in the cell. In some embodiments, the porous matrix provides a storage reservoir for one or more functional liquids that participate(s) in a process within a cell, such as a process that inhibits or prevents growth and/or proliferation of filaments (e.g., dendrites) of an active electrode material. For example, in some embodiments, a functional liquid may be reactive to the active material so that when a filament encounters the functional liquid a reaction between the filament and the functional liquid forms a stable product that inhibits further growth of the filament. In some embodiments, the functional liquid participates in forming a solid electrolyte interphase layer.