Effect of Abnormal Grain Growth on Ionic Conductivity in LATP

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of the microstructure of Li 1.3 Al 0.3 Ti 1.7 ( PO 4 ) 3 (LATP), a solid electrolyte, on its ionic conductivity. Solid electrolytes, a key component in electrochemical energy storage devices such as batteries, differ from traditional liquid electrolytes by utilizing solid-state ionic conductors. LATP, characterized by its NASICON structure, facilitates rapid lithium-ion movement and exhibits relatively high ionic conductivity, chemical stability, and good electrochemical compatibility. In this study, the microstructure and ionic conductivity of LATP specimens sintered at 850, 900, and 950 o C for various sintering times are analyzed. The results indicate that the changes in the microstructure due to sintering temperature and time significantly affect ionic conductivity. Notably, the specimens sintered at 900 o C for 30 min exhibit high ionic conductivity. This study presents a method to optimize the ionic conductivity of LATP. Additionally, it underscores the need for a deeper understanding of the Li-ion diffusion mechanism and quantitative microstructure analysis.