The Effect of Multi-step Sintering on the density of Li7La3Zr1.75Ce0.25O12 as Solid State Electrolyte Material

Abstract

The development of garnets structured Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) have many amicable characteristics such as that make them good solid electrolytic materials for lithium-ion batteries. However, the poor interfacial properties and limited ionic conductivity continue to limit their wide range of applications. Hence, the current study has been focused on improving their ionic conductivity as well as the dense microstructure. This study demonstrates a simple and efficient method to produce compact ceramics with high Li+ conductivity using a multi-step sintering process. Therefore, garnet-structured oxides with the nominal chemical formula Li₇La₃Zr_1.75Ce_0.25O₁₂ (LLZCO) have been produced. XRD and SEM characterization have been performed and confirmed the phase formation and microstructural analysis of the sample. Average crystallite size of the prepared LLZCO is calculated as 100 nm using scherrer formula from intense peaks of XRD pattern. Further, the ionic and electronic conductivities along with activation energies have been explored.