Engineers develop advanced solid-state electrolytes for high-performance all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

Researchers on the College of Engineering of the Hong Kong College of Science and Expertise (HKUST) have just lately developed a brand new technology of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for lithium-metal batteries (LMBs), that may tremendously enhance security and efficiency. This discovery may help advance the event of vitality storage applied sciences for battery functions like electrical automobiles, transportable electronics, and energy grids.

In comparison with conventional liquid electrolyte LMBs, all-solid-state LMBs provide enhanced security and better vitality density by changing the flammable natural solvent electrolytes with strong electrolytes and suppressing a dangerous phenomenon known as dendrite growths. They current a promising future for growing vitality storage applied sciences. Nonetheless, their wider adoption has been restricted by low ionic conductivity and Li⁺ transference quantity at room temperature.

To handle this problem, the analysis workforce led by Prof. Kim Yoonseob, Assistant Professor of the Division of Chemical and Organic Engineering at HKUST, has developed a novel technique that mixes a category of porous known as ionic covalent natural frameworks (iCOFs) with a kind of polymer known as poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) for fabricating solvent- and plasticizer-free SSEs with excessive efficiency.

This new iCOF/PIL composite SSE achieved distinctive ionic conductivity (as much as 1.50 x 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹) and lithium-ion transport functionality (> 0.80) at room temperature. By mixed experimental and computational research, the workforce revealed that the co-coordination and aggressive coordination mechanisms established between the PIL, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and iCOFs allow speedy Li⁺ transport whereas proscribing the motion of TFSI⁻.

Utilizing this superior SSE, the workforce additional fabricated a LMB full cell, product of composite SSEs and LiFePO₄ composite cathode, and located that it demonstrated an preliminary discharge capability of 141.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 1C and room temperature, with a powerful capability retention of 87% over 800 cycles.

“Our breakthrough approach demonstrates stable cell operation and shows a high reversible capacity in all-solid-state LMBs for the first time. It unleashes great potential of iCOFs for electrochemical energy storage devices, opening up new paths forward for wider adoption of all-solid-state LMBs in a variety of applications, from electric vehicles to portable electronics and power grids,” Prof. Kim stated.

This research was a collaboration between researchers at HKUST, Shanghai Jiao Tong College and Zhejiang College in Mainland China and Hanyang College in South Korea.

The analysis paper, titled “High-Performance All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Ionic Covalent Organic Framework Composites,” was published in Superior Vitality Supplies.