LAGP Solid Electrolyte Uniform Crystallization via Y2O3 Nucleation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lithium-ion battery technologies face challenges in achieving high specific energy due to limitations in metal lithium protection, particularly with non-uniform crystallization in glass-ceramic solid electrolytes leading to decreased ionic conductivity and mechanical instability, which affects the performance of Lithium/Air, Lithium/Sulphur, and metallic lithium/polymer batteries.

Innovation Solution

The use of Y2O3 as a crystal nucleation agent in the glass-ceramic process for LAGP solid electrolytes, allowing for uniform crystallization and enhancing ionic conductivity up to five times, while maintaining chemical and electrochemical stability and gas tightness, thereby protecting metal lithium effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If glass-ceramic solid electrolytes are used to protect metal lithium, then chemical and electrochemical stability is improved, but non-uniform crystallization occurs leading to decreased ionic conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechemical and electrochemical stabilityVSAvoidcrystallization uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A nucleating agent is introduced as an intermediary substance to mediate the crystallization process of glass-ceramic solid electrolytes. The nucleating agent promotes uniform nucleation and crystal growth, ensuring homogeneous crystallization structure while maintaining the chemical stability of the glass-ceramic matrix. This resolves the contradiction by enabling controlled, uniform crystallization without compromising the inherent stability of the glass-ceramic material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The crystallization parameters (temperature, time, cooling rate) are optimized and adjusted to achieve uniform crystallization. By precisely controlling these parameters, the patent ensures homogeneous crystal distribution and size, preventing non-uniform crystallization while preserving the chemical stability required for metal lithium protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If glass-ceramic solid electrolytes are used to protect metal lithium, then chemical and electrochemical stability is improved, but mechanical instability occurs leading to decreased ionic conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechemical and electrochemical stabilityVSAvoidmechanical stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite glass-ceramic materials that combine the chemical stability of glass matrices with the mechanical strength of crystalline phases. The controlled crystallization produces a composite structure where crystals are uniformly distributed within the glass matrix, providing both mechanical integrity and ionic conductivity pathways, thus resolving the contradiction between mechanical stability and chemical stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional glass-ceramic processing is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but ionic conductivity is insufficient for high performance battery applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidionic conductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Nucleating agents are added as intermediaries during the conventional glass-ceramic processing to enhance ionic conductivity. These agents promote the formation of crystal structures with favorable ionic conductivity properties without requiring complex processing changes, thus improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes processing parameters such as crystallization temperature and holding time to maximize ionic conductivity within the framework of conventional processing. By adjusting these parameters, high ionic conductivity is achieved without introducing complex manufacturing steps, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and ionic conductivity performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The modified glass-ceramic LAGP solid electrolytes demonstrate significantly higher ionic conductivity and mechanical stability, enabling improved performance in battery applications, particularly in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles, and Electric Vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

The use of Y2O3 as a crystal nucleation agent in the glass-ceramic process for LAGP solid electrolytes, allowing for uniform crystallization

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNucleation: Nucleation

Implementation Method 2

uniform crystallization and enhancing ionic conductivity up to five times

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentEP2918559B1Improved LAGP glass ceramics
Publication Date: 2018.05.16 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2918559B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2918559B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2918559B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention is related to a solid electrolyte, particularly lithium-conductive solid electrolyte, obtained from a glass-ceramics process and a method of producing same. Said solid electrolyte is LAGP (Li1+xAlxGE2-x(PO4)3) (10) modified by a crystallization nucleation agent.