An aramid membrane with good electrolyte wettability, high ionic conductivity, excellent inflame retarding property and superior thermal resistance has been successfully fabricated via a facile papermaking process for improving the safety characteristic of lithium ion battery. The aramid membrane endows the lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2)/graphite cell superior cycle performance and better interfacial flexibility. In addition, the lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)/lithium cell using such aramid membrane exhibited stable charge-discharge profiles and satisfactory cycling stability even at an elevated temperature of 120 degrees C. These fascinating characteristics and facile papermaking method provide potential application as separator in high energy lithium ion battery. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.