Highly efficient & stable Bi & Sb anodes using lithium borohydride as solid electrolyte in Li-ion batteries.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are crucial for next-generation energy storage due to enhanced safety and energy density.
• Developing stable and high-performance negative electrodes is critical for advancing LIB technology.
• Solid-state electrolytes offer advantages over liquid electrolytes, but electrode compatibility remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of Bismuth (Bi) and Antimony (Sb) as negative electrode materials in all-solid-state LIBs.
• To evaluate the stability and electrochemical properties of Bi and Sb anodes when paired with a LiBH4 solid-state electrolyte.
• To assess the impact of composite anode preparation using acetylene black (AB) and LiBH4 via high energy ball-milling.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of composite anode materials using Bismuth (Bi) and Antimony (Sb) with acetylene black (AB) and LiBH4.
• Utilizing high energy ball-milling for composite anode preparation.
• Electrochemical testing of all-solid-state LIBs incorporating the developed anodes and LiBH4 solid-state electrolyte.

Main Results:

• The composite Bi and Sb anodes exhibited excellent stability over multiple charge-discharge cycles.
• High coulombic efficiency, ranging from 90% to 99%, was consistently observed.
• The gravimetric capacity decay for Bi and Sb anodes was minimal, at 18% and 5% respectively, relative to their high initial volumetric capacities (4681.7 and 4393.4 mA h cm⁻³).

Conclusions:

• Bismuth (Bi) and Antimony (Sb) are highly stable and effective negative electrode materials for all-solid-state LIBs when utilizing LiBH4 as the solid-state electrolyte.
• The composite anode design incorporating acetylene black (AB) and LiBH4, prepared by high energy ball-milling, significantly enhances electrode stability and performance.
• These findings highlight the potential of Bi and Sb-based anodes for developing advanced and safe solid-state LIBs.