On the way to high-conductivity single lithium-ion conductors

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 1879 - 1905
• Main Authors: Strauss, E., Menkin, S., Golodnitsky, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Anions; Cationic polymerization; Ceramics; Chain branching; Chains (polymeric); Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical bonds; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Conduction; Conductors; Crystal structure; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemistry; Electrolytes; Energy Storage; Ethylene oxide; Fillers; Flammability; Grain boundaries; Lithium; Lithium batteries; Lithium-ion batteries; Molten salt electrolytes; Nonaqueous electrolytes; Physical Chemistry; Polyethylenes; Polymers; Receptors; Rechargeable batteries; Review; Solid electrolytes; Thermal conductivity; Single-ion conductor; Ceramics; Li ion battery; Polymers; Solid electrolyte; Transference number
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-017-3638-8
• ISSN: 1432-8488

Solid electrolytes can potentially address three key limitations of the organic electrolytes used in today’s lithium-ion batteries, namely, their flammability, limited electrochemical stability and low cationic transference number. The pioneering works of Wright and Armand, suggesting the use of solid poly(ethylene oxide)-based polymer electrolytes (PE) for lithium batteries, paved the way to the development of solid-state batteries based on PEs. Yet, low cationic mobility–low Li + transference number in polymer materials coupled with sufficiently high room-temperature conductivity remains inaccessible. The current strategies employed for the production of single-ion polymer conductors include designing new lithium salts, bonding of anions with the main polyether chain or incorporating them into the side chains of comb-branched polymers, plasticizing, adding inorganic fillers and anion receptors. Glass and crystalline superionic solids are classical single-ion-conducting electrolytes. However, because of grain boundaries and poor electrode/electrolyte interfacial contacts, achieving electrochemical performance in solid-state batteries comprising polycrystalline inorganic electrolytes, comparable to the existing batteries with liquid electrolytes, is particularly challenging. Quasi-elastic polymer-in-ceramic electrolytes provide good alternatives to the traditional lithium-ion-battery electrolytes and are believed to be the subject of extensive current research. This review provides an account of the advances over the past decade in the development of single-ion-conducting electrolytes and offers some directions and references that may be useful for further investigations.