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Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature
Published on: December 20, 2016
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Enabling high-temperature processing of thin film Li-ion batteries using a LISICON based solid-state electrolyte.
Mohammadhossein Montazerian1,2, Kyle J Stephens1,2, Vladimir Roddatis3
1Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, Center for Neutron and Muon Sciences 5232 Villigen Switzerland nikita.shepelin@psi.ch.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. A
|December 11, 2025
Summary
Researchers explored Li4-xGe1-xPxO4 (LGPO) as a solid-state electrolyte (SSE) alternative. Optimized LGPO films show higher ionic conductivity than LiPON, enabling high-temperature processing for advanced microbatteries.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Solid-State Ionics
Background:
- Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) offer safer alternatives to liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries.
- The standard LiPON electrolyte has processing limitations due to its low-temperature requirements.
- Miniaturized energy storage systems require advanced SSEs for improved performance and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate Li4-xGe1-xPxO4 (LGPO), a LISICON-type oxide, as a high-performance thin-film SSE.
- Determine the optimal deposition conditions for LGPO thin films to maximize ionic conductivity.
- Correlate material properties and microstructure with ionic transport for next-generation microbatteries.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of LGPO thin films using pulsed laser deposition under varied conditions.
- In situ impedance spectroscopy for real-time conductivity measurements.
- Systematic analysis of deposition temperature, pressure, composition, crystallinity, and morphology effects on ionic transport.
Main Results:
- Polycrystalline LGPO films deposited at 535 °C and 0.01 mbar O2 pressure achieved the highest room-temperature ionic conductivity (~10-5 S cm-1).
- Optimized LGPO conductivity exceeded LiPON by one order of magnitude, with a low activation energy of 0.47 eV.
- Amorphous LGPO films exhibited significantly lower conductivity (~5.2 × 10-8 S cm-1) and higher activation energy (0.72 eV).
Conclusions:
- Crystallinity, chemical composition, and grain boundary density are critical factors influencing ion transport in LGPO.
- LGPO is a viable, high-performance oxide SSE compatible with high-temperature processing.
- Microstructural control is essential for optimizing LGPO performance in advanced microbattery architectures.
