Plating a Dendrite-Free Lithium Anode with a Polymer/Ceramic/Polymer Sandwich Electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Solid-state electrolytes offer enhanced safety over liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries.
• Current polymer electrolytes face limitations in thermal stability and interfacial compatibility with lithium metal anodes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible, thermally stable, and cost-effective solid polymer electrolyte for all-solid-state batteries.
• To improve the interfacial stability between the polymer electrolyte and metallic lithium anodes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a cross-linked polymer with pendant molecules.
• Fabrication of a polymer/ceramic membrane/polymer sandwich electrolyte (PCPSE).
• Electrochemical testing of Li/LiFePO4 cells utilizing the PCPSE.

Main Results:

• The polymer electrolyte exhibits high thermal stability up to 270 °C.
• The PCPSE structure effectively suppresses decomposition of the polymer by the metallic lithium anode.
• The designed interface promotes homogeneous Li-ion flux and wetting of the lithium anode.
• All-solid-state Li/LiFePO4 cells achieved high Coulombic efficiency (99.8-100%) over 640 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The developed polymer electrolyte and PCPSE architecture offer a promising solution for safe and high-performance solid-state batteries.
• This integrated approach combines the benefits of ceramic and polymer electrolytes.
• The technology enables flexible, low-cost, and durable solid-state energy storage devices.