Facile Route to Synthesize a Highly Sinterable Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃ Solid Electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

• Lithium Aluminum Titanium Phosphate (LATP) is a key solid electrolyte for solid-state lithium batteries due to its stability and conductivity.
• Traditional LATP synthesis requires high-temperature sintering (~1000 °C) due to poor sinterability, increasing costs and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile and cost-effective synthesis route for highly sinterable LATP solid electrolytes.
• To achieve low-temperature sintering of LATP while maintaining high ionic conductivity and density.

Main Methods:

• Utilized tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source in a modified solid-state reaction.
• Incorporated a low ratio of LiTiPO5 to create a hybrid crystalline-amorphous LATP phase.
• Investigated synthesis mechanisms, sintering behavior, and ionic diffusion kinetics.

Main Results:

• Achieved a highly sinterable LATP powder with a hybrid crystalline-amorphous structure.
• Sintered LATP pellets to >90% relative density at a significantly reduced temperature of 750 °C.
• Obtained an ionic conductivity of 0.667 mS/cm with an interconnected structure and indistinct grain boundaries.

Conclusions:

• The novel synthesis route enables additive-free, low-temperature sintering of LATP.
• This method offers a cost-effective approach to producing high-performance LATP solid electrolytes for advanced lithium batteries.
• The findings pave the way for scalable production of improved solid-state battery components.