Investigation of Degradation in Solid-State Batteries at Extreme Temperatures

Significant strides must be made towards rechargeable batteries that exhibit higher specific capacity and utilize safer materials to improve their viability in space missions. The use of batteries at both high and low temperatures is also desirable in space, but current lithium-ion batteries are not suitable for these applications. Therefore, the investigation of new battery chemistries that enable higher energy density, improved safety, and reliable performance over a range of temperatures is necessary to address issues presented in TA 3.2.1. The development of all solid-state lithium-ion batteries combining a solid electrolyte with high ionic conductivity, energy dense lithium metal anode, and suitable cathode could provide a route to overcome these challenges. The evolution of the lithium metal/solid electrolyte interface is challenging due to the instability that many solid electrolyte materials exhibit against lithium, which often leads to the formation of new phases at the interface that can hinder performance. While these interphases have been investigated at room temperature, little is known about their structure, composition, and morphology at both high and low operating temperatures. Understanding how temperature impacts the interface is critical, as the interphase plays a key role in cell degradation during cycling. The objective of this project is to investigate interfacial evolution at different temperatures through a combination of electrochemical testing of solid-state cells and subsequent characterization of the interphase that has formed. Cycling solid-state cells at various temperatures will quantify how performance is affected by temperature. Characterization of the interphase to study differences in structure, composition, and morphology at each temperature will elucidate mechanisms for how electrochemical performance is influenced by temperature. These results will establish temperature boundaries for the cyclability of these cells and give insight into how degradation may change with temperature, which can be used to inform strategies to design long-lasting solid-state batteries.

These results will establish temperature boundaries for the cyclability of these cells and give insight into how degradation may change with temperature, which can be used to inform strategies to design long-lasting solid-state batteries.

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