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Batteries

Breakthrough in Solid-State Batteries: New Research Reveals Promising Coatings for Enhanced Performance

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research at the Argonne National Laboratory has led to a significant breakthrough in the development of solid-state batteries, a crucial step towards the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy. Scientists have been working to overcome the limitations of lithium superionic conductors, such as lithium phosphorus sulfide chloride (LiPSCl), which have a narrow voltage window and environmental reactivity. The study discovered that coating LiPSCl powders with thin aluminum oxide (AlO) coatings via atomic layer deposition can improve their performance, but design rules are needed to identify new coatings with further improved properties.

Key Takeaways:

  • Scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory have developed a density functional theory-based screening protocol to identify new oxide coatings for solid-state electrolytes, which have multifaceted benefits, including improved electronic conductivity, Li metal stability, interfacial resistance, and critical current density.
  • The research found that magnesium oxide (MgO) coatings, in particular, improve the electronic conductivity, Li metal stability, interfacial resistance, and critical current density of coated LiPSCl powders.
  • The study revealed that the ionic and electronic conductivity of reaction products formed at oxide interfaces with LiPSCl and Li metal are the most predictive metrics for determining a viable coating.
  • The research concluded that these results open a new frontier of research for improving the stability and performance of sulfide-based solid-state electrolytes.
  • The project was financially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Science, Argonne National Laboratory, and Vehicle Technologies Office.
  • The study involved a team of researchers from the Argonne National Laboratory, including Taewoo Kim, Aditya Sundar, Francisco Lagunas, Anil U. Mane, Udochukwu D. Eze, Colton Ginter, Rajesh Pathak, Sanja Tepavcevic, Jeffrey W. Elam, Zachary D. Hood, Peter Zapol, and Justin G. Connell.

Statistics:

  • The research was financially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Science, Argonne National Laboratory, and Vehicle Technologies Office.
  • The study involved a team of 11 researchers from the Argonne National Laboratory.
  • The research was published in the journal Advanced Science, Volume, pages 1188.
  • The project focused on improving the stability and performance of sulfide-based solid-state electrolytes.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Investigators at Argonne National Laboratory Report New Data on Science (Computationally-Guided Development of Sulfide Solid Electrolyte Powder Coatings for Enhanced Stability and Performance of Solid-State Batteries). Chemicals & Chemistry. October 31, 2025; p 1188.
  • Computationally-Guided Development of Sulfide Solid Electrolyte Powder Coatings for Enhanced Stability and Performance of Solid-State Batteries. Advanced Science, 2025.

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