Surface engineering of inorganic solid-state electrolytes via interlayers strategy for developing long-cycling quasi-all-solid-state lithium batteries

Abstract Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with inorganic solid-state electrolytes are considered promising secondary battery systems because of their higher energy content than their Li-ion counterpart. However, the LMB performance remains unsatisfactory for commercialization, primarily owing to the inability of the inorganic solid-state electrolytes to hinder lithium dendrite propagation. Here, using an Ag-coated Li 6.4 La 3 Zr 1.7 Ta 0.3 O 12 (LLZTO) inorganic solid electrolyte in combination with a silver-carbon interlayer, we demonstrate the production of stable interfacially engineered lab-scale LMBs. Via experimental measurements and computational modelling, we prove that the interlayers strategy effectively regulates lithium stripping/plating and prevents dendrite penetration in the solid-state electrolyte pellet. By coupling the surface-engineered LLZTO with a lithium metal negative electrode, a high-voltage positive electrode with an ionic liquid-based liquid electrolyte solution in pouch cell configuration, we report 800 cycles at 1.6 mA/cm 2 and 25 °C without applying external pressure. This cell enables an initial discharge capacity of about 3 mAh/cm 2 and a discharge capacity retention of about 85%.