Electrochemical and Mechanical Evolution of Sulfide-Based Solid Electrolytes: Insights from Operando XPS and Cell Pressure Measurements

Understanding the electrochemical and mechanical behavior of solid electrolytes beyond their electrochemical stability window is crucial for enabling high energy density all-solid-state batteries. Accordingly, this work systematically studies a model working electrode of Li3PS4, ball milled with vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF). Operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy can identify and quantify the potential-dependent redox byproducts, their reversibility, and electrical properties, while operando cell pressure measurements correlate these with volume changes and mechanical instability. The study examines voltages up to 5.0 V and down to -0.05 V vs. Li/Li+, mimicking cathode and anode cycling. It demonstrates that within the 2.4 V – 5.0 V region, Li3PS4 oxidation byproducts are primarily polysulfides composed of bridging sulfurs (P-S-S-P) between PS4 3- units, free of elemental sulfur (S0), and electrically conductive. The Li3PS4 oxidation process occurs at 2.8 V during 1st charge and ends at 3.4 V, with volume shrinkage at the VGCF interface. During reduction (2.4 to -0.05 V), polysulfides convert reversibly to Li3PS4 between 1.9 – 1.7 V, then to Li2S and LinP (0 ≤ n ≤ 3) between 1.9 – 0.6 V, causing volume expansion and the transition to an electrically insulating interphase. Below 0.6 V, Li2O formation dominates without further evolution of Li2S or LinP.