Key Findings
The PLAP electrolyte, developed by Nanjing Tech University and partner institutions, demonstrates a room-temperature ionic conductivity of 3.8 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm. In symmetric cells, the material sustained lithium plating and stripping for 750 hours at a current density of 10 mA/cm². Furthermore, lithium iron phosphate full cells utilizing this electrolyte retained most of their capacity after 2,000 cycles.
Technical Details
The composite pairs a prelithiated polyurethane polymer with ceramic LAGP fillers (particles from 1 to 500 nm). To prevent “interfacial ion trapping”—where electronegative terminal hydroxyl groups bind lithium ions via Coulombic Li-O interactions—the team treated the sucrose-based polyether soft segment with lithium hydroxide. This “terminal prelithiation” converts hydroxyl groups into lithium alkoxide groups before polymerization.
- Composition: The optimized membrane contains 40 wt% LAGP, balancing a tensile strength of 5.47 MPa and an elongation at break of 192.4 percent.
- Thermal Properties: The glass transition temperature is approximately −43 °C, with decomposition beginning near 260 °C (based on a 5 percent weight-loss criterion).
- Transport: Conductivity increases to 1.01 × 10⁻³ S/cm at 80 °C, following Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher behavior with an apparent activation energy of 15.9 kJ/mol.
Background & Context
Solid-state batteries aim to replace flammable liquid electrolytes with solid conductors. However, inorganic ceramics like LAGP are brittle and suffer from grain-boundary resistance, while solid polymers typically exhibit poor room-temperature conductivity (below 10⁻⁵ S/cm). While blending the two is common, excessive ceramic filler often disrupts the polymer network and weakens mechanical integrity.
Significance & Outlook
By utilizing chemical modification rather than simple compositional changes, the PLAP electrolyte overcomes the interfacial resistance that plagued previous polyurethane-LAGP systems. Compared to an unmodified hydroxyl-terminated analogue—which achieved only 10⁻⁶ S/cm and showed severe polarization within 100 hours—the PLAP system provides a viable path toward fast-charging solid-state batteries by suppressing lithium dendrite propagation through its balanced mechanical and conductive properties.
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