Ionically-conductive amorphous lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide
Amorphous lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO) is formed as an ionically-conductive electrolyte medium. The LLZO comprises by percentage of total number of atoms from about 0.1% to about 50% lithium, from about 0.1% to about 25% lanthanum, from about 0.1% to about 25% zirconium, from about 30% to about 70% oxygen and from 0.0% to about 25% carbon. At least one layer of amorphous LLZO may be formed through a sol-gel process wherein quantities of lanthanum methoxyethoxide, lithium butoxide and zirconium butoxide are dissolved in an alcohol-based solvent to form a mixture which is dispensed into a substantially planar configuration, transitioned through a gel phase, dried and cured to a substantially dry phase.
1. An amorphous oxide-based compound having a general formula M w M′ x M″ y M′″ z ,
wherein
M comprises at least one lithium-set element from a lithium set consisting of the alkali-metal family of the Periodic Table,
M′ comprises at least one lanthanum-set element from a lanthanum set consisting of lanthanum, barium, strontium, calcium, indium, magnesium, yttrium, scandium, chromium, aluminum, lutetium, potassium, the alkali-metal family of the Periodic Table and the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table,
M″ comprises at least one zirconium-set element from a zirconium set consisting of zirconium, tantalum, niobium, antimony, tin, hafnium, bismuth, tungsten, silicon, selenium, gallium and germanium, and
M″′ comprises at least one oxygen-set element from an oxygen set consisting of oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and the halogen family of the Periodic Table of Elements,
wherein w, x, y, and z are positive numbers including various combinations of integers and fractions or decimals, and wherein a ratio of x to y is about 1,
and wherein the amorphous oxide-based compound has an ionic conductivity of about 1 to 2 E-3 S/cm.
2. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 1 , wherein M comprises lithium, M′ comprises lanthanum, M″ comprises zirconium and M′″ comprises oxygen.
3. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 1 , wherein by percentage of total number of atoms M comprises from about 0.1% to about 50%, M′ comprises from about 0.1% to about 25%, M″ comprises from about 0.1% to about 25%, M′″ comprises from about 30% to about 70%, and carbon comprises from 0.0% to about 25%.
4. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 1 , having a substantially planar configuration for an electrolyte medium.
5. An electrolyte medium comprising at least one layer of amorphous lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide, wherein a ratio of lanthanum to zirconium is about 1, and wherein the lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide has an ionic conductivity of about 1 to 2 E-3 S/cm.
6. The electrolyte medium of claim 5 , wherein said amorphous lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide comprises by percentage of total number of atoms from about 0.1% to about 50% lithium, from about 0.1% to about 25% lanthanum, from about 0.1% to about 25% zirconium, from about 30% to about 70% oxygen and from 0.0% to about 25% carbon.
7. An amorphous oxide-based compound having a general formula M w CM′ x M″ y M′″ z ,
wherein
M comprises at least one lithium-set element from a lithium set consisting of the alkali-metal family of the Periodic Table,
C comprises carbon,
M′ comprises at least one lanthanum-set element from a lanthanum set consisting of lanthanum, barium, strontium, calcium, indium, magnesium, yttrium, scandium, chromium, aluminum, lutetium, potassium, the alkali-metal family of the Periodic Table and the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table,
M″ comprises at least one zirconium-set element from a zirconium set consisting of zirconium, tantalum, niobium, antimony, tin, hafnium, bismuth, tungsten, silicon, selenium, gallium and germanium, and
M′″ comprises at least one oxygen-set element from an oxygen set consisting of oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and the halogen family of the Periodic Table of Elements,
wherein w, x, y, and z are positive numbers including various combinations of integers and fractions or decimals, by percentage of total atoms carbon comprises up to about 25%, and wherein a ratio of x to y is about 1,
and wherein the amorphous oxide-based compound has an ionic conductivity about 1 to 2 E-3 S/cm.
8. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 7 , wherein M comprises lithium, M′ comprises lanthanum, M″ comprises zirconium and M′″ comprises oxygen.
9. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 7 , wherein by percentage of total number of atoms M comprises from about 0.1% to about 50%, M′ comprises from about 0.1% to about 25%, M″ comprises from about 0.1% to about 25%, and M′″ comprises from about 30% to about 70%.
10. The amorphous oxide-based compound of claim 7 , having a substantially planar configuration for an electrolyte medium.
11. An electrolyte medium comprising at least one layer of amorphous lithium carbon lanthanum zirconium oxide, wherein a ratio of lanthanum to zirconium is about 1, and wherein the lithium carbon lanthanum zirconium oxide has an ionic conductivity of about 1 to 2 E-3 S/cm.
12. The electrolyte medium of claim 11 , wherein said amorphous lithium carbon lanthanum zirconium oxide comprises by percentage of total number of atoms from about 0.1% to about 50% lithium, up to about 25% carbon, from about 0.1% to about 25% lanthanum, from about 0.1% to about 25% zirconium, and from about 30% to about 70% oxygen.