Stabilized Conductive Agent/Sulfide Solid Electrolyte Interface via a Halide Solid Electrolyte Coating for All-Solid-State Batteries

Abstract

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) have garnered significant interest as the next-generation in battery technology, praised for their superior safety and high energy density. However, a conductive agent accelerates the undesirable side reactions of sulfide-based solid electrolytes (SEs), resulting in poor electrochemical properties with increased interfacial resistance. Here, we propose a wet chemical method rationally designed to achieve a conformal coating of lithium-indium chloride (Li3InCl6) onto vapor-grown carbon fibers (VGCFs) as conductive agents. First, with the advantage of the Li3InCl6 protective layer, use of VGCF@Li3InCl6 leads to enhanced interfacial stability and improved electrochemical properties, including stable cycle performance. These results indicate that the Li3InCl6 protective layer suppresses the unwanted reaction between Li6PS5Cl (LPSCl) and VGCF. Second, VGCF@Li3InCl6 effectively promotes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibrillization, leading to a homogeneous electrode microstructure. The uniform distribution of the cathode active material (CAM) in the electrode results in reduced charge-transfer resistance (R-ct) and enhanced Li-ion kinetics. As a result, a full cell with the LiNixMnyCozO2 (NCM)/VGCF@Li3InCl6 electrode shows an areal capacity of 7.7 mAh cm(-2) at 0.05 C and long-term cycle stability of 77.9% over 400 cycles at 0.2 C. This study offers a strategy for utilizing stable carbon-based conductive agents in sulfide-based ASSBs to enhance their electrochemical performance.