Vitreous solid electrolyte sheets of Li ion conducting sulfur-based glass and associated structures, cells and methods
A lithium ion-conductive solid electrolyte including a freestanding inorganic vitreous sheet of sulfide-based lithium ion conducting glass is capable of high performance in a lithium metal battery by providing a high degree of lithium ion conductivity while being highly resistant to the initiation and/or propagation of lithium dendrites. Such an electrolyte is also itself manufacturable, and readily adaptable for battery cell and cell component manufacture, in a cost-effective, scalable manner.
1. A standalone positive electrode assembly, comprising:
a positive electroactive component layer and a first solid electrolyte sheet,
wherein the positive electroactive component layer is encapsulated on a first major surface by the solid electrolyte sheet; and,
further wherein the solid electrolyte sheet comprises freestanding substantially amorphous solid electrolyte wall structures that are dense, inorganic and conductive of Li ions, the wall structures comprising:
i) a continuous Li ion conducting inorganic amorphous material phase with room temperature Li ion conductivity ≥10 −5 S/cm;
ii) first and second opposing principal sides and associated surfaces; and
ii) a microstructure devoid of contiguous crystalline grain boundaries and powder particle boundaries extending between the opposing principal side surfaces.
2. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is double sided, comprising a second solid electrolyte sheet that encapsulates the second major surface of the positive layer.
3. The standalone positive electrode assembly claim 2 , wherein the assembly is edged sealed via discrete sidewall components.
4. The standalone positive electrode assembly claim 1 , wherein the assembly is edged sealed via discrete sidewall components.
5. The standalone positive electrode assembly claim 4 , wherein the positive layer is a multi-layer comprising a current collecting layer and an electroactive material layer.
6. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electroactive layer is a lithium ion intercalation compound.
7. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 6 , wherein the intercalation compound is an oxide.
8. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is single-sided and an inert backplane component impermeable and non-reactive to liquid electrolytes.
9. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 8 , wherein the backplane is a metal layer.
10. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 9 , wherein the backplane is a polymer layer.
11. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the edge seal is a fusion seal.
12. The standalone positive electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is devoid of liquid electrolyte.