PFI-TT: Fabrication of Solid Electrolyte Thin Films with Plasma Processing to Enable Solid State Batteries with High Energy Density

这项创新技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是生产用于电池的高质量薄膜。在下一代电池中，用固态电解质代替易燃液体电解质将大大提高锂电池的能量密度和安全性。然而，使用商业上可行的制造工艺制造高性能固态电池仍然是一个挑战。该项目的成果将是开发一种新的可扩展工艺，用于制造固态电池的新型材料。与最先进的锂离子电池相比，拟议中的技术得益于芯片制造技术的优势，将使电池具有更高的安全性和能量密度。这项技术的影响将加速下一代电池的商业化，这些电池将用于电动汽车、无人机、电力电子设备和其他储能应用。该项目将开发一种新的沉积方法，使高质量的锂导电固体电解质Li7La3Zr2O12 （LLZO）薄膜直接生长在衬底和电极上。在考虑用于全固态电池的固态电解质中，LLZO因其高离子电导率和良好的热稳定性和电化学稳定性而成为最具吸引力的电解质之一。然而，现有物理/化学气相沉积方法或传统陶瓷工艺无法可靠地形成LLZO薄膜是阻碍LLZO基固态电池商业化的主要障碍。其创新之处在于使用等离子体方法生产高质量的LLZO薄膜，具有低界面电阻和颗粒微观结构，有望减轻锂枝晶的渗透。该研究将确定薄膜沉积和表面处理的最佳工艺参数，并建立LLZO薄膜质量与机械和电化学性能之间的关系。通过结合LLZO材料合成、等离子体加工、电池陶瓷材料和制造工艺商业化方面的专业知识的密切合作，将弥合LLZO薄膜生长条件、设备性能和商业可行性之间相关性的知识差距。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is the production of high quality thin films for applications in batteries. The replacement of flammable liquid electrolytes with solid-state electrolytes in next generation batteries will greatly improve the energy density and safety of lithium batteries. However, it is still a challenge to fabricate high performance solid-state batteries using commercially viable manufacturing processes. The outcome of this project will be the development a new scalable process for fabrication of novel materials for solid-state batteries. The proposed technology derives strengths from chip manufacturing techniques and will enable batteries with improved safety characteristics and energy density compared to the state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. The impact of the technology will be accelerated commercialization of the next generation of batteries for electric vehicles, drones, power electronics, and other energy storage applications.The proposed project will develop a novel deposition method that will enable high quality thin films of lithium conducting solid electrolyte, Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO), to be grown directly on substrates and electrodes. Among the solid-state electrolytes being considered for all-solid-state batteries, LLZO is one of the most attractive due to its high ionic conductivity and good thermal and electrochemical stability. However, the inability to reliably form LLZO thin films with existing physical/chemical vapor deposition methods or conventional ceramics processing is a major obstacle to the commercialization of LLZO-based solid-state batteries. The innovation is in using plasma-based methods for the production of high quality LLZO thin films with low interfacial resistance and a grain microstructure that is expected to mitigate lithium dendrite penetration. The research will identify optimal process parameters for the film deposition and surface treatments and establish relationships between the LLZO film quality and mechanical and electrochemical properties. Through a close collaboration combining expertise in LLZO materials synthesis, plasma processing, and commercialization of battery ceramic materials and manufacturing processes, knowledge gaps related to the correlations between LLZO thin film growth conditions, device performance, and commercial viability will be bridged.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.