Fast Lithium Ion Conduction in Li2SnS3: Synthesis, Physicochemical Characterization, and Electronic Structure

Li2SnS3 is a fast Li+ ion conductor that exhibits high thermal stability (mp ∼750 °C) as well as environmental stability under ambient conditions. Polycrystalline Li2SnS3 was synthesized using high-temperature, solid-state synthesis. According to single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Li2SnS3 has a sodium chloride-like structure (space group C2/c), a result supported by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and 119Sn Mossbauer spectroscopy. According to impedance spectroscopy, Li2SnS3 exhibits Li+ ion conductivity up to 1.6 × 10–3 S/cm at 100 °C, which is among the highest for ternary chalcogenides. First-principles simulations of Li2SnS3 and the oxide analogue, Li2SnO3, provide insight into the basic properties and mechanisms of the ionic conduction. The high thermal stability, significant lithium ion conductivity, and environmental stability make Li2SnS3 a promising new solid-state electrolyte for lithium ion batteries.