A novel composite solid electrolyte based on chemical bonding and physical reinforcing for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

Abstract

Sulfide electrolytes are a highly promising type of electrolyte due to their intrinsically soft properties and ultrahigh ionic conductivity. However, compatibility issues at the lithium interface have hindered their development in all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. Composite polymer electrolytes can indeed address interface issues, enhancing battery safety. Nonetheless, the incompatibility at the inorganic-organic interface within composite electrolytes can lead to reduced conductivity and diminished mechanical performance. Herein, we demonstrate a composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) composed of the Li6PS5Cl and polyethylene oxide (PEO) by the chemical bridging effect of (3-chloropropyl) trimethoxysilane (CTMS) on the 3D PET nonwoven framework to resolving the incompatibility between the inorganic and organic components, thereby reinforcing the chemical and mechanical performance of the electrolyte. The CPE shows superior characteristics, including elevated ionic conductivity (7.5 × 10−4 S cm−1), an extended electrochemical stability window (5.3 V versus Li/Li+), an expanded lithium transference number (t(Li+) = 0.52), and higher mechanical strength (9.35 MPa). The assembly of a Li/Li symmetric cell, operating steadily for 400 h at a current density of 0.3 mA cm−2 while maintaining a stable and relatively low polarization voltage (70 mV), demonstrates exceptional stability with respect to the lithium electrode. Moreover, the LiFePO4/Li cell initially exhibits a discharge-specific capacity of 163.6 mAh g−1 with a coulombic efficiency approaching 100 % after 100 cycles at 0.1C. This endeavor offers a robust, attainable, and scalable methodology for crafting composite electrolytes, thereby paving the path for the practical implementation of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.