High Rate and Stable Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Electronic and Ionic Mixed Conducting Network...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) offer high energy density and safety.
• Interfacial incompatibility between solid electrolytes and Li metal anodes hinders SSLMB performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a 3D electronic and ionic mixed conducting interlayer to enhance interfacial affinity in SSLMBs.
• To improve the electrochemical performance of SSLMBs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D interlayer using a Sn/Ni alloy layer-coated Cu nanowire (Cu@SnNi) network.
• Evaluation of Li plating behavior to assess Li+ ion transport.
• Testing of solid-state LiFePO4/Li cells with and without the Cu@SnNi interlayer.

Main Results:

• The Cu@SnNi interlayer facilitates fast Li+ ion transport, acting as a stable interface.
• SSLMBs with the Cu@SnNi interlayer demonstrated significantly improved rate capability (133 mA h g-1 at 2 C, 100 mA h g-1 at 5 C).
• Cells without the interlayer showed lower performance (117 mA h g-1 at 2 C, 60 mA h g-1 at 5 C).

Conclusions:

• The 3D electronic and ionic mixed conducting interlayer effectively addresses interfacial challenges in SSLMBs.
• This structural design offers a viable strategy for enhancing the performance of SSLMBs.
• The developed interlayer shows promise for advancing next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems.