Lithium/water battery with lithium ion conducting glass–ceramics electrolyte

Abstract

Lithium/water batteries have attracted considerable attention as high power supply devices because they use high energy density lithium metal as an anode and water as a cathode. In this study, we investigate the use of lithium/water batteries that use a glass–ceramics plate as an electrolyte. A lithium ion conducting glass–ceramics plate has no through-holes and does not exhibit moisture permeation. Such a plate has stable ionic conductivity in water. Lithium/water batteries that used a glass–ceramics plate as an electrolyte had a long and stable discharge for 50 days at room temperature when the lithium metal was prevented from coming into contact with water. Lithium/seawater batteries using a glass–ceramics plate as an electrolyte also operated well in the 10–70 °C temperature range.