Structure, Composition and Ionic Conduction in Amorphous Lithium Solid Electrolyte

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: A suitable solid electrolyte has become the bottleneck for developing high-performance solid-state lithium ion batteries. The knowledge gained from this project can give direct guidance to search for and design solid electrolyte materials for lithium ion batteries. Such advancements are crucial for solid-state lithium ion batteries requiring high power and energy density, and further enable the use of a ceramic electrolyte in other applications. The timely design and insertion of high-performance battery materials are critical to the global competitiveness of US manufacturing as well as minimization of the negative impact to the environment. The project is also expected to have widespread impact on several scientific and technological communities including electrochemistry, materials science, energy storage, materials processing and synthesis, and solid-state devices. TECHNICAL DETAILS: While there have been a myriad of research activities into solid electrolytes, fundamental understanding on amorphous phase materials has been lacking. This project is based on the complementary expertise in simulations, syntheses, and evaluation of battery materials. It is enabling the team to gain fundamental understanding of chemistry-processing-structure-property-performance relationships for the amorphous lithium lanthanum titanium oxide, and helping with the design of better solid electrolyte materials with high ionic conductivity and stability. In addition to safety impact of solid-state electrolyte on lithium ion batteries, the project also a) educates students to be professionals mastering experimental approaches with cross-disciplinary knowledge of materials and batteries; b) encourages students to make presentations at professional meetings to improve communication skills; c) fosters students' writing skills through peer reviewed journal publications; d) participates in activities to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups through programs such as Frontiers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute; e) creates three open mini-courses on electrochemistry, lithium ion batteries, and ceramic electrolyte for solid-state lithium ion batteries for engineers, scientists, and student self-learners; and f) strengthens the K-12 outreach program with an emphasis on training women and minorities in collaboration with Worcester Technical High School.