Coprecipitation Strategy for Halide-Based Solid-State Electrolytes and Atmospheric-Dependent In Situ Analysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

• Mechanochemical synthesis of solid-state electrolytes is energy-intensive.
• Developing scalable and structurally controlled synthesis methods is crucial for energy storage applications.
• Halide-based solid-state electrolytes offer potential for high ionic conductivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an energy-efficient coprecipitation strategy for synthesizing halide-based solid-state electrolytes.
• To synthesize and characterize lithium-3 indium-6 chloride (Li3InCl6) with improved structural control and commercial scalability.
• To investigate the stability mechanisms and chemical reactions of Li3InCl6 under various atmospheric conditions.

Main Methods:

• Coprecipitation synthesis of Li3InCl6.
• In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction for analyzing structural stability and reaction mechanisms.
• Electrochemical performance testing to determine ionic conductivity.
• Vacuum annealing to study moisture recovery.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized Li3InCl6 via coprecipitation with high ionic conductivity (1.42 × 10-3 S cm-1).
• Unveiled stability mechanisms and rapid chemical reactions of Li3InCl6 under dry Ar, dry O2, and high-humidity atmospheres using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction.
• Demonstrated fast reversibility and identified optimal low-temperature recovery conditions (150-200 °C) for moisture-exposed Li3InCl6.

Conclusions:

• The coprecipitation strategy provides structural control and commercial scalability for halide-based solid-state electrolytes.
• Li3InCl6 exhibits excellent structural and electrochemical stability, comparable to traditionally prepared materials.
• This research offers critical insights into the synthesis and real-world performance of solid-state electrolytes for energy-efficient applications.