Development of solid-state electrolytes for thin-film lithium batteries

众所周知，化石燃料造成的温室气体水平上升是气候变化的主要驱动因素之一。在加拿大，运输部门是第二大温室气体来源，占2014年总排放量的23%。在这种背景下，电动汽车为了实现清洁交通正受到广泛的关注。基于固态电解液的薄膜锂电池因其高安全性和高能量密度而成为最有前途的电动汽车动力技术，开发高锂离子导电性的固态电解液是实现薄膜锂电池的关键。MicroMolding Solutions Inc.(一家总部位于魁北克的公司)面临的一个关键挑战是，通过冷压方法制备的固态电解质的锂离子导电率较低，这导致了高界面电阻。在这个项目中，UBC Okanagan的刘健教授与MicroMoldingSolutions合作，提议使用一种创新技术--放电等离子烧结(SPS)来制造固态电解液。预计SPS将显著降低界面电阻并提高固态电解液的导电性。该项目的成功将提供适销对路的固态电解液产品，使MicroMolding Solutions在关键电池材料供应方面处于领先地位。此外，薄膜锂电池的研究将对加拿大的经济和环境部门产生重大影响。全球薄膜电池市场预计将从2014年的5160万美元增长到2020年的11.043亿美元。这为加拿大电池行业(如Nano One、Corvus)提供了前所未有的机遇，并在未来十年创造了新的经济场所。最后但并非最不重要的一点是，薄膜电池技术将增加可再生能源的使用，并为可持续社会的发展做出贡献。

The rising level of greenhouse gases caused by fossil fuels is known to be one of the foremost drivers ofclimate change. In Canada, the transportation sector was the second largest source of greenhouse gases,accounting for 23% of total emissions in 2014. In this context, electric vehicles are gaining widespreadinterests in order to realize clean transportation. Thin-film lithium battery built on solid-state electrolytes is themost promising technology to power electric vehicles, due to its high safety and energy density.To enable thin-film lithium batteries, it is the key to develop solid-state electrolytes with high lithium-ionconductivity. One critical challenge that Micromolding Solutions Inc. (a Quebec-based company) has is the lowlithium-ion conductivity of solid-state electrolytes prepared by a cold-pressing method, which leads to highinterfacial resistance. In this project, Prof. Jian Liu at UBC Okanagan, in partnership with MicromoldingSolutions, proposes to use an innovative technique, Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), to fabricate solid-stateelectrolytes. It is expected that SPS will significantly reduce the interfacial resistance and improve theconductivity of solid-state electrolytes.Success of this project will deliver marketable solid-state electrolyte products that will put MicromoldingSolutions in a leading position in key battery material supply. Moreover, the thin-film lithium battery researchwill have great impacts on economic and environmental sectors of Canada. The global market for thin-filmbatteries is anticipated to grow from USD 51.6 Million in 2014 to an estimated value of USD 1,104.3 Millionby 2020. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for Canadian battery industries (such as Nano One,Corvus), and create new economic venue in the next decade. At last but not least, thin-film battery technologywill increase the deployment of renewable energy and contribute to the development of sustainable society.