Conductivity and structural properties of fast Ag-ion-conducting GaGeSbS–AgI glassy electrolytes

Abstract

The use of ion-conducting chalcogenide glass, a promising solid electrolyte, is encouraged at higher conductivity for all-solid-state rechargeable battery. Herein, a new quaternary glass of GaGeSbS–AgI system was successfully prepared, and its structural and electrochemical properties were investigated by XRD, Raman, and AC impendence measurement. The relatively high conductivity of 2.955 × 10−3 S/cm and low activation energy of 0.07 eV were obtained after optimized structure regulation. The short-range schematic of the glass structure was explored to determine the fast-migrating mechanism involved in conducting Ag+ ions. By controlling the proper ratio of Ga(Ge) and Sb cations, the loose and porous layer structure of [SbSxI3-x] linking by the [Ga(Ge)S4] tetrahedron was formed, resulting in the rapid transport of Ag+ ions with a reduced migration energy barrier. The current work is the first time that a sulfide solid electrolyte in quaternary glass system with desirable electrochemical characteristics was used to address energy and safety issues.