Exploring Cathode and Solid Electrolyte Materials for All-solid-state Battery Applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
This project is focused on the investigation of new cathode and solid electrolyte (SE) materials for applications in Li-ion all-solid-state batteries (ASSB). Here, powders of the active material (AM), carbon (to increase the electrical conductivity) and SE are sintered together as a cathode pellet, which is then topped by a layer of SE and, finally, attached to an anode; e.g. Li metal. ASSBs overcome safety issues (e.g. flammability of organic electrolytes) and result in robust and inert batteries that function at slightly elevated temperatures.
To date, only little is known on the detailed mechanisms of Li-ion transport in SE, the phases and interfaces forming during synthesis and operation, and how particle sizes of the starting materials influence both, the densification/sintering and electrochemical performance. We will use classical solid-state synthesis routes to produce new AM (e.g. LFP and higher voltage cathodes such as NMC and LMP) and SE (e.g. LSPO, LLZO, and LPS) materials and control their particle sizes. Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), a novel processing technique, will then be applied to produce dense pellets of AM/SE cathode composites.
Powder XRD will be used to determine phase purity and particle sizes of both the pristine materials as well as the composites prepared by SPS. The powders and pellets will be used for electrochemical testing. Solid-state NMR will be utilised to gain insights into different chemical environments/phases on a local atomic scale, derive activation energies and learn about the underlying ion diffusion mechanism. In a next step, in situ NMR will be applied to study structural changes in real-time. EIS will be used to derive conductivities; the data will be combined with the NMR studies. Another crucial method will be electron microscopy on pellets/composites Contrast differences will give information on particle (size) distributions and phases present, while EDX will allow a quantification of the elemental composition.
To date, only little is known on the detailed mechanisms of Li-ion transport in SE, the phases and interfaces forming during synthesis and operation, and how particle sizes of the starting materials influence both, the densification/sintering and electrochemical performance. We will use classical solid-state synthesis routes to produce new AM (e.g. LFP and higher voltage cathodes such as NMC and LMP) and SE (e.g. LSPO, LLZO, and LPS) materials and control their particle sizes. Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), a novel processing technique, will then be applied to produce dense pellets of AM/SE cathode composites.
Powder XRD will be used to determine phase purity and particle sizes of both the pristine materials as well as the composites prepared by SPS. The powders and pellets will be used for electrochemical testing. Solid-state NMR will be utilised to gain insights into different chemical environments/phases on a local atomic scale, derive activation energies and learn about the underlying ion diffusion mechanism. In a next step, in situ NMR will be applied to study structural changes in real-time. EIS will be used to derive conductivities; the data will be combined with the NMR studies. Another crucial method will be electron microscopy on pellets/composites Contrast differences will give information on particle (size) distributions and phases present, while EDX will allow a quantification of the elemental composition.
Publications
Xu C
(2021)
Bulk fatigue induced by surface reconstruction in layered Ni-rich cathodes for Li-ion batteries.
in Nature materials
Van De Goor TWJ
(2021)
Impact of Orientational Glass Formation and Local Strain on Photo-Induced Halide Segregation in Hybrid Metal-Halide Perovskites.
in The journal of physical chemistry. C, Nanomaterials and interfaces
Szczuka C
(2022)
Forced Disorder in the Solid Solution Li3P-Li2S: A New Class of Fully Reduced Solid Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Anodes.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Pesci F
(2020)
Establishing Ultralow Activation Energies for Lithium Transport in Garnet Electrolytes
in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Marbella LE
(2019)
7Li NMR Chemical Shift Imaging To Detect Microstructural Growth of Lithium in All-Solid-State Batteries.
in Chemistry of materials : a publication of the American Chemical Society
Karasulu B
(2020)
Al/Ga-Doped Li7La3Zr2O12 Garnets as Li-Ion Solid-State Battery Electrolytes: Atomistic Insights into Local Coordination Environments and Their Influence on 17O, 27Al, and 71Ga NMR Spectra.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Harper A
(2023)
Modelling amorphous materials via a joint solid-state NMR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy and DFT approach: application to alumina
in Chemical Science
Famprikis T
(2020)
Under Pressure: Mechanochemical Effects on Structure and Ion Conduction in the Sodium-Ion Solid Electrolyte Na3PS4.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Dawson J
(2018)
Elucidating lithium-ion and proton dynamics in anti-perovskite solid electrolytes
in Energy & Environmental Science
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EP/N509103/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2022 | |||
1834544 | Studentship | EP/N509103/1 | 01/01/2017 | 31/12/2019 | Steffen Emge |