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Dynamic formation of a solid-liquid electrolyte interphase and its consequences for hybrid-battery concepts

Nature Chemistry volume 8, pages 426–434 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

The discharging and charging of batteries require ion transfer across phase boundaries. In conventional lithium-ion batteries, Li+ ions have to cross the liquid electrolyte and only need to pass the electrode interfaces. Future high-energy batteries may need to work as hybrids, and so serially combine a liquid electrolyte and a solid electrolyte to suppress unwanted redox shuttles. This adds new interfaces that might significantly decrease the cycling-rate capability. Here we show that the interface between a typical fast-ion-conducting solid electrolyte and a conventional liquid electrolyte is chemically unstable and forms a resistive solid-liquid electrolyte interphase (SLEI). Insights into the kinetics of this new type of interphase are obtained by impedance studies of a two-chamber cell. The chemistry of the SLEI, its growth with time and the influence of water impurities are examined by state-of-the-art surface analysis and depth profiling.

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Figure 1: Schematics of ion transport and resistance contributions in cells with solid–liquid phase boundaries.
Figure 2: Electrochemical characteristics of the hybrid cell set-up and resulting cell performance.
Figure 3: Temporal evolution of the different resistance contributions in the 4P cell.
Figure 4: XPS analysis of the SLEI.
Figure 5: ToF-SIMS analysis of the SLEI.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the BASF Scientific Network for Electrochemistry and Batteries. The authors thank A.-K. Dürr, P. Hartmann, K. Leitner, J. Ter Maat (BASF SE), B. Luerßen, C. Fiedler, B. Mogwitz, M. Rohnke, J. Sann, M. Elm, D. Mollenhauer, H. Weigand (Justus-Liebig-University Giessen) and S. Berendts (TU Berlin) for helpful discussions and scientific support. We appreciate fruitful discussions within the BASF SE Network for Electrochemistry and Batteries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, Giessen, D-35392, Germany

    Martin R. Busche, Thomas Drossel, Thomas Leichtweiss, Dominik A. Weber, Mareike Falk & Jürgen Janek

  2. SCHOTT AG, Corporate Research and Technology Development, Hattenbergstraße 10, Mainz, D-55014, Germany

    Meike Schneider & Maria-Louisa Reich

  3. BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, D-67056, Germany

    Heino Sommer

  4. BELLA – Battery and Electrochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, D-76344, Germany

    Heino Sommer & Jürgen Janek

  5. Institute for Technical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry (CEEC Jena) Philosophenweg 7a, Jena, D-07743, Germany

    Philipp Adelhelm

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  1. Martin R. Busche
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Contributions

J.J., P.A. and M.R.B. conceived the experiments; M.R.B. designed the measurement set-ups and performed the electrochemical experiments with the assistance of T.D.; T.L., M.F. and M.R.B. carried out the XPS and ToF-SIMS experiments and evaluated the data; XRD measurements and Rietveld refinements were performed by D.A.W. and M.R.B.; M.S. and M.R. conducted the LAGP solid-electrolyte production and basic analysis thereof, and M.R.B. carried out the LiPON thin-film synthesis and basic solid-electrolyte analysis. The manuscript was written by M.R.B. All the authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jürgen Janek.

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Busche, M., Drossel, T., Leichtweiss, T. et al. Dynamic formation of a solid-liquid electrolyte interphase and its consequences for hybrid-battery concepts. Nature Chem 8, 426–434 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2470

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