FUNctional Coatings of sulfide electrolYtes for lithium Solid-State Batteries

The ongoing transition of the energy landscape from the dependency on fossil fuels to renewables relies on the availability of affordable, safe, and efficient energy storage solutions. That resulted in the recent rise of the new energy storage technologies. Among those, Li-ion batteries (LiBs) represent the most developed technology, which delivers not only the highest energy density, but also demonstrates long-term durability and high capacity. Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered the next generation of batteries due to their improved safety and energy density compared to conventional Li-ion batteries. SSBs are of particular interest for the mobility sector. The key component for a high-performance SSB is the solid-state electrolyte (SSE), but its use also poses new challenges in terms of ionic conductivity, processability, recyclability, sustainability of SSEs and the SSE-active material interfaces. In FUNCY-SSB, expertise from multiple disciplines (engineering, processing, synthetic chemistry and electrochemistry, recycling, life-cycle assessment, management, exploitation and dissemination) will be combined in a complementary and comprehensive way leading to innovative solutions and a more nuanced understanding of problems related to SSEs. FUNCY-SSB will make a clear link from synthesis to characterization and electrochemical evaluation, which allow partners to understand how and why the materials function or fail as they do, and go back to the synthetic lab to produce improved materials for the next round. To implement the designed for sustainability/recycling concept into the development a strong collaboration between the fields is envisioned. The results of the FUNCY-SSB project would be available for a technology transfer to relevant industrial partners on a time scale that should enable commercialization by 2030.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered the next generation of batteries due to their improved safety and energy density compared to conventional Li-ion batteries. The key component for a high-performance SSB is the solid-state electrolyte (SSE), but its use also poses new challenges in terms of ionic conductivity, processability, recyclability, sustainability of SSEs and the SSE-active material interfaces. Combining organic and inorganic electrolytes is a promising route. However, these composite electrolytes cannot be made via simple mixing of polymer and inorganic components, rather both components need to be specifically tailored to enable efficient ionic transport through the SSE as a whole. These challenges will be addressed within FUNCY-SSB project by partners from Germany, Slovenia and Norway through focusing on the development of sustainable by design SSEs with enhanced electrochemical performance. Functional surface coatings will be used to fabricate SSEs based on a combination of sulfide electrolytes with polymers. Inorganic coatings produced by atomic layer deposition will be used to optimize the Li-ion transport through the polymer into the sulfide electrolyte. Using a functional coating, the aim is to make SSEs with high ionic conductivity, enhanced stability towards moisture and improved electrochemical stability window. Recycling studies, economic and ecological potential analyses will be conducted during the SSE development process to examine and optimize the SSEs in terms of recyclability and sustainable fabrication. The functionality of selected coated electrolytes will be tested in combination with Li metal anodes and NMC cathodes, and demonstrated in pouch cells. The manufacturing potential of the developed materials will be assessed in a collaboration with the industrial partners. FUNCY-SSB will use semantic technologies to digitalise synthesis and manufacturing processes of battery materials/components.