3D Printing of Na1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 Solid Electrolyte via Fused Filament Fabrication for All-Solid-State Sodium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

All solid-state batteries pave the way to safer batteries as they do not contain flammable components and allow potentially higher energy densities through the direct use of alkali metals as anode materials. However, the applicability of solid electrolytes is hindered by their slower diffusion kinetics and charge transfer processes compared to liquid electrolytes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the electrochemical performance of 3D printed ceramic electrolyte. Prepared filaments were printed with optimized parameters and the polymeric binders were subsequently removed by solvent/-thermal debinding followed by a sintering process. The most reliable prints were performed with 58 vol % filled feedstock and the highest densities of sintered specimen were measured at a sintering temperature of 1100 °C with (94.27±0.37)% and (94.27±0.07)% for printed and pressed samples, respectively. The lowest impedances for 3D printed samples were measured for 1100 °C sintered specimen, yielding conductivities of (1.711±0.166)×10−4 S cm−1 at 200 °C. Stripping/plating tests performed at 60 °C confirmed the feasibility of 3D printed electrolytes realized by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) for the application in solid-state batteries.