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Solid-state batteries (SSBs) hold the potential to enhance the energy density, power density, and safety of conventional lithium-ion batteries. The theoretical promise of SSBs is predicated on the mechanistic design and comprehensive analysis of various solid–solid interfaces and microstructural features within the system. The spatial arrangement and composition of constituent phases (e.g., active material, solid electrolyte, binder) in the solid-state cathode dictate critical characteristics such as solid–solid point contacts or singularities within the microstructure and percolation pathways for ionic/electronic transport. In this work, we present a comprehensive mesoscale discourse to interrogate the underlying microstructure-coupled kinetic-transport interplay and concomitant modes of resistances that evolve during electrochemical operation of SSBs. Based on a hierarchical physics-based analysis, the mechanistic implications of solid–solid point contact distribution and intrinsic transport pathways on the kinetic heterogeneity is established. Toward designing high-energy-density SSB systems, the fundamental correlation between active material loading, electrode thickness and electrochemical response has been delineated. We examine the paradigm of carbon-binder free cathodes and identify design criteria that can facilitate enhanced performance with such electrode configurations. A mechanistic design map highlighting the dichotomy in kinetic and ionic/electronic transport limitations that manifest at various SSB cathode microstructural regimes is established.
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Mesoscale Interrogation Reveals Mechanistic Origins of Lithium Filaments along Grain Boundaries in Inorganic Solid Electrolytes
Abstract Solid‐state batteries (SSBs), utilizing a lithium metal anode, promise to deliver enhanced energy and power densities compared to conventional lithium‐ion batteries. Penetration of lithium filaments through the solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) during electrodeposition poses major constraints on the safety and rate performance of SSBs. While microstructural attributes, especially grain boundaries (GBs) within the SSEs are considered preferential metal propagation pathways, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Here, a comprehensive insight is presented into the mechanistic interactions at the mesoscale including the electrochemical‐mechanical response of the GB‐electrode junction and competing ion transport dynamics in the SSE. Depending on the GB transport characteristics, a highly non‐uniform electrodeposition morphology consisting of either cavities or protrusions at the GB‐electrode interface is identified. Mechanical stability analysis reveals localized strain ramps in the GB regions that can lead to brittle fracture of the SSE. For ionically less conductive GBs compared to the grains, a crack formation and void filling mechanism, triggered by the heterogeneous nature of electrochemical‐mechanical interactions is delineated at the GB‐electrode junction. Concurrently, in situ X‐ray tomography of pristine and failed Li7La3Zr2O12(LLZO) SSE samples confirm the presence of filamentous lithium penetration and validity of the proposed mesoscale failure mechanisms.
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- PAR ID:
- 10446294
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Energy Materials
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1614-6832
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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