Stabilizing Interface between Li₂S-P₂S₅ Glass-Ceramic Electrolyte and Ether Electrolyte by Tuning Solvation Reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Battery Technology

Background:

• Solid-liquid hybrid electrolytes offer a solution to interfacial resistance in all-solid-state batteries and safety concerns in liquid batteries.
• The properties of the solid/liquid electrolyte interphase layer (SLEI) are critical for the performance of these hybrid electrolytes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the solvation reactions between Li2S-P2S5 glass-ceramic solid electrolytes (SEs) and ether electrolytes.
• To examine the influence of these reactions on the formation and properties of the SLEI.

Main Methods:

• Studied solvation reactions between Li2S-P2S5 glass-ceramic SEs and ether electrolytes (DME and DOL).
• Examined the resulting SLEI properties using analytical techniques (implied).
• Fabricated and tested a hybrid Li-S battery with the optimized electrolyte system.

Main Results:

• 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) formed a dense and stable SLEI with the Li2S-P2S5 SE.
• 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) severely corroded the SE, leading to a loose SLEI.
• The Li2S-P2S5 SE/DME-based LE combination demonstrated stable lithium plating/stripping for over 1000 hours.
• A hybrid Li-S battery achieved a specific capacity of 730 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The choice of organic liquid electrolyte significantly impacts SLEI stability and battery performance.
• DME is a suitable component for forming stable SLEI in sulfide-based solid-liquid hybrid electrolytes.
• This work provides valuable insights for designing stable hybrid electrolytes for advanced battery applications.