A Study on the Relationship between Physical Properties of Inorganic Materials and Electrochemical Stability in All-Solid-State Li-Metal Batteries
Authors: Kim Heebae , Yoo Jeeyoung , Kim Youn Sang 
Published: December 2024

The development of solid-state batteries (SSBs) is crucial for advancing next-generation battery technology. Compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries using organic liquid electrolytes, SSBs offer higher energy density, improved safety, and wide operating temperature range. Nonetheless, constructing a practical SSB with lithium-metal anode (LMA) and optimal inorganic solid electrolyte (SE) presents significant challenges. In this presentation, we introduce our findings addressing the two primary obstacles impeding the remarkable advancement of SSBs.

The electrochemical instability at the interface between LMA and SE is the first persistent issue to overcome. Solid materials constituting SSBs exhibit distinct physical and chemical properties. When these materials, in the form of electrodes or electrolytes, are assembled into an electrochemical cell configuration, they establish solid–solid interfaces within the energy storage system. Achieving electrochemically stable SSBs requires non-reactive interfaces between LMA and SE with conformal contact. Previous studies have predominantly focused on developing interface modification methods to enhance the long-term cycling stability of SSBs. However, such approaches often offer phenomenological solutions without a thorough understanding of the interface dynamics. Additionally, the role of charges within an electric field in the operation of lithium-ion batteries is often overlooked. The LMA-SE interface of SSBs experiences an in situ electric field during the charging process, where the SEs exhibit semiconducting properties distinct from liquid electrolytes. Consequently, identifying the governing mechanism of interface stabilization cannot rely solely on conventional electrochemical techniques or a materials science perspective alone.

Interface modeling by tailoring energy band alignment is a fundamental approach to achieving the cycling stability of SSBs. In this study, we used Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP), a representative NASICON-type SE, alongside a Li-metal foil. Although LATP possesses excellent electrochemical stability with a high anodic limit (4.31 V) and small decomposition energy (- 65 meV per atom at 5 V), its direct contact with LMA leads to the formation of a reactive interface having mixed ionic-electronic conducting interphases (MCI). The presence of MCI expedites the reduction of LATP’s metallic constituents by enabling electron transfer across the interface. Given the heightened risk of interfacial instability in the electrochemical cell, controlling interfacial reactions is imperative for constructing SSBs. Herein, we deposited titanium (45 nm) onto the surface of LATP to stabilize the inherently reactive LMA-LATP interface. The pure transition metal interlayer transformed into an ion-conducting crystal structure through electrochemical interactions with Li-metal. This titanium compound self-induced interlayer (TSI) served as a stable Li-ion conductor and electron buffer between LMA and LATP. Lithium symmetric cells having TSI maintained constant overpotential over 1000 cycles and exhibited significantly reduced impedance.

Another critical obstacle to realizing practical SSBs is the intrinsic structural instability of SEs. This physical instability shortens the lifespan of SSBs and severely diminishes their electrochemical performance at the typical ambient temperatures of electric vehicle power batteries (25-50 °C). Over the past decade, various solid-state Li-ion conductors have been developed such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (garnet-type oxide SE) and Li6PS5Cl (argyrodite-type sulfide SE). By associating lattice dynamics and ionic transport in these materials, previous studies could improve the ionic conductivity of SE through major substitution with large cations like tantalum or partial substitution with large anions. Recently, antiperovskite-type SEs with the anion-centered unit of Li3AB, where A represents hydroxyl and B represents halogen groups, have attracted attention. The representative composition Li2OHCl is renowned for its facile fabrication process through solid-state reaction, high ionic conductivity (10-3 S cm-1), and excellent compatibility with LMA. Still, significant limitations exist in its use for constructing practical SSBs, as is common with most other types of SEs.

We found that substituting trace amounts of aliovalent cations to modify atomic interactions in SEs can significantly enhance the electrochemical reliability of SSBs. This strategy effectively resolves the intrinsically unstable structure of SEs and simultaneously enhances the LMA-SE interfaces. As a proof-of-concept, we substituted lithium in Li2OHCl with metal elements that do not experience crystal field stabilization energy. The resulting modified electrolytes led to prolonged lifespan and superior rate performance in lithium symmetric cells at room temperature. The cells with the modified SEs exhibited a remarkable critical current density exceeding 10.5 mA cm-2 and maintained a stable voltage profile for 3000 hours at 10.0 mA cm-2, whereas the pristine cells achieved a relatively low critical current density of 2.0 mA cm-2 and a short lifespan of 1000 hours at 1.0 mA cm-2. These findings underscore a strong correlation between the physical properties of inorganic materials and the electrochemical stability of SSBs. Finally, we anticipate that the revealing results will contribute to the advancement of high-power SSBs employing solid electrolytes and metallic electrodes.