A new effective Gel Polymer Electrolyte membrane based on two polymers, the polyethylene oxide (PEO), a poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexalluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) copolymer and a plasticizer, the dibutylphtalate (DBP), was realized. This separator membrane was made by adjunction, through lamination, of an industrially made DBP/PVdF-HFP film and a homemade DBP/PEO thin film. Once the plasticizer was removed and the separator gelled by the electrolyte, the PEO enables the formation of a good interface with the lithium while the PVdF-HFP film brings the mechanical strength to the membrane. The electrochemical behavior of lithium batteries based on this bi-layer separator was investigated versus temperature, cycling potential and cycling rate. Owing to the promising results obtained with laboratory cells, a 1 Ah prototype was successfully assembled, and its cycling and rate performances were reported. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.