Issue 29, 2023

High ionic conducting rare-earth silicate electrolytes for sodium metal batteries

Abstract

Solid-state sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a viable alternative to existing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the low cost and abundance of sodium and the high safety of using solid-state components. Here, we report novel composite sodium silicate electrolytes exhibiting high ionic conductivity for solid-state SIBs. Rare-earth silicates (3 + x)Na2O–Gd2O3–6SiO2 (NGS, x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.25 mol%, following the composition Na3GdSi3O9), are prepared by the conventional solid-state method. The phase and morphology of the prepared ceramic electrolytes are characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The electrical properties of the samples are investigated using impedance spectroscopy, with NGS 0.15 mol% Na2O, (3.45 Na2O–Gd2O3–6 SiO2; NGS15) sintered at 1075 °C for 6 h exhibiting the highest ionic conductivity of 7.25 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 °C comparable to that of NASICON electrolytes. Na plating/stripping is conducted to demonstrate the compatibility of the prepared ceramic electrolyte with a sodium metal anode that exhibits exceptional stability for 1000 h at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2. A hybrid battery built using a Na anode, an NGS15 ceramic electrolyte with 20 μL of liquid electrolyte on the cathode side, and a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 90 mA h g−1 at 0.1C with a capacity retention of 98.01% for 100 charge–discharge cycles, highlighting the potential of the sodium rare-earth silicate as a sodium battery separator and electrolyte.

Graphical abstract: High ionic conducting rare-earth silicate electrolytes for sodium metal batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Apr 2023
Accepted
20 Jun 2023
First published
04 Jul 2023

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 15792-15801

High ionic conducting rare-earth silicate electrolytes for sodium metal batteries

A. Sivakumaran, A. J. Samson, A. A. Bristi, V. Surendran, S. Butler, S. Reid and V. Thangadurai, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 15792 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA02128A

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