Intercepting Dendrite Growth With a Heterogeneous Solid Electrolyte for Long-Life All-Solid-State Lithium Metal...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Battery Technology

Background:

• Lithium metal anodes offer high energy density but face safety challenges due to dendrite formation in all-solid-state batteries.
• Dendrite growth is a critical issue hindering the practical application of lithium metal anodes, compromising battery safety and performance.
• Controlling ion transport and interface stability is crucial for enabling high-performance all-solid-state batteries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of heterogeneous electrolytes for regulating ion transport and dendrite growth in lithium metal anodes.
• To enhance the dendrite-resistivity of solid electrolytes by utilizing differences in ionic conductivity.
• To improve the interfacial stability and electrochemical performance of all-solid-state batteries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized heterogeneous electrolytes with varying ionic conductivities to guide ion transport and dendrite growth.
• Investigated the in situ formation of Li-Ge alloy phases from the reaction between Li10GeP2S12 and lithium dendrites.
• Fabricated and tested symmetrical lithium batteries and Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 full cells to evaluate performance.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high critical current density of 2.1 mA cm-2, demonstrating enhanced dendrite resistance.
• Demonstrated long-term stable symmetrical battery operation at 0.3 mA cm-2 for 17,000 hours and 1.0 mA cm-2 for 2,000 hours.
• The full battery exhibited 80.5% capacity retention after 500 cycles and a rate capability of 125.4 mAh g-1 at 2.0 mA cm-2.

Conclusions:

• Heterogeneous electrolytes effectively regulate ion transport and suppress lithium dendrite growth.
• In situ formed Li-Ge alloy phases significantly improve dendrite resistance.
• The developed strategy offers a promising approach for advancing the safety and performance of all-solid-state batteries.