Lithium Volatilization and Phase Changes during Aluminum-Doped Cubic Li6.25La3Zr2Al0.25O12 (c-LLZO) Processing

Stabilized Li6.25La3Al0.25 Zr2O12 (cubic LLZO or c-LLZO) is a Li+-conducting ceramic with ionic conductivities approaching 1 mS-cm. Processing c-LLZO so that it is suitable for use as a solid state electrolyte in all solid state batteries, however, is challenging due to the formation of secondary phases at elevated temperatures. The work described in this manuscript examines the formation of one such secondary phase La2Zr2O7 (LZO) formed during sintering c-LLZO at 1000 °C. Specifically, spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements have identified gradients in Li distributions in the Li ion (Li+)-conducting ceramic Li6.25La3Al0.25 Zr2O12 (cubic LLZO or c-LLZO) created by thermal processing. Sintering c-LLZO under conditions relevant to solid state Li+ electrolyte fabrication conditions lead to Li+ loss and the formation of new phases. Specifically, sintering for 1 h at 1000 °C leads to Li+ depletion and the formation of the pyrochlore lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7 or LZO), a material known to be both electronically and ionically insulating. Circular c-LLZO samples are covered on the top and bottom surfaces, exposing only the 1.6 mm-thick sample perimeter to the furnace’s ambient air. Sintered samples show a radially symmetric LZO gradient, with more LZO at the center of the pellet and considerably less LZO at the edges. This profile implies that Li+ diffusion through the material is faster than Li+ loss through volatilization, and that Li+ migration from the center of the sample to the edges is not completely reversible. These conditions lead to a net depletion of Li+ at the sample center. Findings presented in this work suggest new strategies for LLZO processing that will minimize Li+ loss during sintering, leading to a more homogeneous material with more reproducible electrochemical behavior.