Surface treatment of a solid electrolyte to lower the interfacial resistance between the solid electrolyte and an electrode

US11515564B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US
• EMPA · CH

Inventors

• Marie-Claude Bay · Zürich, CH
• Corsin Battaglia · Lindau, CH
• Michael Wang · Ann Arbor, US
• Jeff S. Sakamoto · Arcadia, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 4, 2019
• Grant date: Nov 29, 2022
• Expiry date: Apr 27, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/10
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Disclosed are electrochemical devices, such as sodium ion conducting solid state electrolytes, sodium battery electrodes, and solid-state sodium metal batteries including these electrodes and solid state electrolytes. One example method for preparing a sodium/sodium-β″-alumina interface with low interfacial resistance and capable of achieving high current density in an electrochemical cell includes the steps of: (a) providing a precursor electrolyte having a resistive surface region, wherein the precursor electrolyte comprises sodium-β″-alumina; (b) removing at least a portion of the resistive surface region; (c) heating the precursor electrolyte thereby forming a solid state electrolyte, and (d) placing a side of the solid state electrolyte in contact with a sodium anode.