Overcoming the Interfacial Limitations Imposed by the Solid–Solid Interface in Solid-State Batteries Using Ionic Liquid-Based Interlayers

Abstract

Li-garnets are promising inorganic ceramic solid electrolytes for lithium metal batteries, showing good electrochemical stability with Li anode. However, their brittle and stiff nature restricts their intimate contact with both the electrodes, hence presenting high interfacial resistance to the ionic mobility. To address this issue, a strategy employing ionic liquid electrolyte (ILE) thin interlayers at the electrodes/electrolyte interfaces is adopted, which helps overcome the barrier for ion transport. The chemically stable ILE improves the electrodes-solid electrolyte contact, significantly reducing the interfacial resistance at both the positive and negative electrodes interfaces. This results in the more homogeneous deposition of metallic lithium at the negative electrode, suppressing the dendrite growth across the solid electrolyte even at high current densities of 0.3 mA cm−2. Further, the improved interface Li/electrolyte interface results in decreasing the overpotential of symmetric Li/Li cells from 1.35 to 0.35 V. The ILE modified Li/LLZO/LFP cells stacked either in monopolar or bipolar configurations show excellent electrochemical performance. In particular, the bipolar cell operates at a high voltage (≈8 V) and delivers specific capacity as high as 145 mAh g−1 with a coulombic efficiency greater than 99%.