Li7La3Zr2O12 Interface Modification for Li Dendrite Prevention

Al-contaminated Ta-substituted Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZ:Ta), synthesized via solid-state reaction, and Al-free Ta-substituted Li7La3Zr2O12, fabricated by hot-press sintering (HP-LLZ:Ta), have relative densities of 92.7% and 99.0%, respectively. Impedance spectra show the total conductivity of LLZ:Ta to be 0.71 mS cm–1 at 30 °C and that of HP-LLZ:Ta to be 1.18 mS cm–1. The lower total conductivity for LLZ:Ta than HP-LLZ:Ta was attributed to the higher grain boundary resistance and lower relative density of LLZ:Ta, as confirmed by their microstructures. Constant direct current measurements of HP-LLZ:Ta with a current density of 0.5 mA cm–2 suggest that the short circuit formation was neither due to the low relative density of the samples nor the reduction of Li–Al glassy phase at grain boundaries. TEM, EELS, and MAS NMR were used to prove that the short circuit was from Li dendrite formation inside HP-LLZ:Ta, which took place along the grain boundaries. The Li dendrite formation was found to be mostly due to the i...