Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ionic conductivity”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Structural manipulation approaches towards enhanced sodium ionic conductivity in Na-rich antiperovskites

High-performance solid electrolytes are critical for realizing all-solid-state batteries with enhance safety and cycling efficiency. However, currently available candidates (sulfides and the NASICON-typ ceramics) still suffer from drawbacks such as inflammability, high-cost and unfavorable machinability Here we present the structural manipulation approaches to improve the sodium ionic conductivity in series of affordable Na-rich antiperovskites. Experimentally, the whole solid solutions of Na 3 OX (X ¼ Cl Br, I) are synthesized via a facile and timesaving route from the cheapest raw materials (Na, NaOH an NaX). The materials are nonflammable, suitable for thermoplastic processing due to low melting temperature (<300° C) without decomposing. Notably, owing to the flexibility of perovskite-type structure it's feasible to control the local structure features by means of size-mismatch substitution an unequivalent-doping for a favorable sodium ionic diffusion pathway. Enhancement of sodium ioni conductivity by 2 magnitudes is demonstrated by these chemical tuning methods. The optimized sodiu ionic conductivity in Na 2.9 Sr 0.05 OBr 0.6 I 0.4 bulk samples reaches 1.9 10 - 3 S/cm at 200° C and even highe at elevated temperature. Here, we believe further chemical tuning efforts on Na-rich antiperovskites wil promote their performance greatly for practical all-solid state battery applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Perspectives for Polymer Electrolytes: A View from Fundamentals of Ionic Conductivity

We present a brief overview of current developments in the field of polymer electrolytes, with the focus on single-ion conducting polymers. The latter have significant advantages relative to electrolytes with dual-ion conductivity for use in energy storage devices. First we discuss various mechanisms of ionic conductivity in polymers and fundamental limitations imposed by these mechanisms. We also emphasize the role of ion–ion correlations in conductivity that are not negligible in concentrated and semidilute ionic systems. Next we discuss several classes of polymer electrolytes (gels, block copolymers, and composites) that are already employed or have good potential to be employed in current battery technologies. At the end we discuss perspectives for the design of dry single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes with required room temperature conductivity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design concept of co-ionic conducting solid oxide electrolyte for stable operation in a cell-imbalanced fuel cell stack

A bilayer composite electrolyte comprising BaCe 0.85 Y 0.15 O 3-d (BCY15) – Gd 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 2-d (GDC20) at the anode side and BaZr 0.85 Y 0.15 O 3-d (BZY15) – Nd 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 2-d (NDC10) at the cathode side is designed for improving the stability of co-ionic conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in a cell imbalanced stack. Contrary to the single layer structured SOFCs, the bi-layer cell stably operates without electrode delamination under negative voltage conditions. We measure local internal p O 2 values using embedded Pt probes. Based on these values, local electronic conduction is estimated in combination with four probe DC conductivity measurements. It is found that n-type conductivity (~10 –3 Scm –1 ) and p-type conductivity (10 –5 –10 –4 Scm –1 ) are developed in the BCY15-GDC20 near the anode side and in the BZY15-NDC10 near the cathode side, respectively. Finally, the results indicate that local electronic conduction in electrolyte regions near both the anode and cathode interfaces is a crucial factor for the durability of co-ionic SOFCs under negative voltage operation. We therefore suggest the bi-layer configuration as a practical solution to protect co-ionic SOFCs in a cell-imbalanced stack.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Grain boundary stability and influence on ionic conductivity in a disordered perovskite -- a first-principles investigation of lithium lanthanum titanate

The origin of ionic conductivity in bulk lithium lanthanum titanate, a promising solid electrolyte for Li-ion batteries, has long been under debate, with experiments showing lower conductivity than predictions. Recent microscopy images show Type I and Type II grain boundaries. Using first-principles based calculations we find that experimentally observed Type I boundaries are more stable compared to the Type II grain boundaries, consistent with their observed relative abundance. Grain boundary stability appears to strongly anti-correlate with the field strength as well as the spatial extent of the space charge region. Ion migration is faster along Type II grain boundaries than across, consistent with recent experiments of increased conductivity when Type II densities were increased.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Uniform High Ionic Conducting Lithium Sulfide Protection Layer for Stable Lithium Metal Anode

Artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is one of the key approaches in addressing the low reversibility and dendritic growth problems of lithium metal anode, yet its current effect is still insufficient due to insufficient stability. Here, a new principle of “simultaneous high ionic conductivity and homogeneity” is proposed for stabilizing SEI and lithium metal anodes. Fabricated by a facile, environmentally friendly, and low-cost lithium solid-sulfur vapor reaction at elevated temperature, a designed lithium sulfide protective layer successfully maintains its protection function during cycling, which is confirmed by both simulations and experiments. Stable dendrite-free cycling of lithium metal anode is realized even at a high areal capacity of 5 mAh cm -2 , and prototype Li–Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 cell with limited lithium also achieves 900 stable cycles. These findings give new insight into the ideal SEI composition and structure and provide new design strategies for stable lithium metal batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Three-dimensional ionic conduction in the strained electrolytes of solid oxide fuel cells

Flexible power sources including fuel cells and batteries are the key to realizing flexible electronic devices with pronounced foldability. To understand the bending effects in these devices, theoretical analysis on three-dimensional (3-D) lattice bending is necessary. In this report, we derive a 3-D analytical model to analyze the effects of electrolyte crystal bending on ionic conductivity in flexible solid-state batteries/fuel cells. By employing solid oxide fuel cells as a materials' platform, the intrinsic parameters of bent electrolyte materials, including lattice constant, Young's modulus, and Poisson ratio, are evaluated. Our work facilitates the rational design of highly efficient flexible electrolytes for high-performance flexible device applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2026

Four-Dimensional Quasielastic Neutron Scattering (4D-QENS) Analysis of Correlated Ionic Conduction in Sr⁢Cl2

Methods of elucidating the mechanisms of fast-ion conduction in solid-state materials are pivotal for advancements in energy technologies such as batteries, fuel cells, sensors, and supercapacitors. In this study, we examine the ionic conduction pathways in single crystal Sr⁢Cl2, which is a fast-ion conductor above 900 K, using four-dimensional quasielastic neutron scattering (4D-QENS). We explore both coherent and incoherent neutron scattering at temperatures above the transition temperature into the superionic phase to explore the correlated motion of hopping anions. Refinements of the incoherent QENS yield residence times and jump probabilities between lattice sites in good agreement with previous studies, confirming that ionic hopping along nearest-neighbor directions is the most probable conduction pathway. However, the coherent QENS reveals evidence of de Gennes narrowing, indicating the importance of ionic correlations in the conduction mechanism. This highlights the need for improvements both in the theory of ionic transport in fluorite compounds and the modeling of coherent 4D-QENS in single crystals.

Coles, Jared [Materials Science Division, Argonne ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-temperature liquid-phase synthesis of lithium thiophosphate-borohydride solid electrolyte with high room-temperature ionic conductivity

Embodiments relate to a scalable liquid-phase synthesis technique of lithium thiophosphate-borohydride solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity at room temperature and its use in all-solid-state lithium batteries. A battery comprises an anode, a cathode, and a solid electrolyte layer positioned between the anode and the cathode. The liquid-phase synthesized solid electrolyte material can be used as the solid electrolyte layer or incorporated into anodes or cathodes.

Wang, Donghai [Pennsylvania State Univ., Universit↗
DOE OSTI2018

Ab initio spectroscopy and ionic conductivity of water under Earth mantle conditions

The phase diagram of water at extreme conditions plays a critical role in Earth and planetary science, yet remains poorly understood. Here we report a first-principles investigation of the liquid at high temperature, between 11 GPa and 20 GPa—a region where numerous controversial results have been reported over the past three decades. Our results are consistent with the recent estimates of the water melting line below 1,000 K and show that on the 1,000-K isotherm the liquid is rapidly dissociating and recombining through a bimolecular mechanism. We found that short-lived ionic species act as charge carriers, giving rise to an ionic conductivity that at 11 GPa and 20 GPa is six and seven orders of magnitude larger, respectively, than at ambient conditions. Conductivity calculations were performed entirely from first principles, with no a priori assumptions on the nature of charge carriers. Despite frequent dissociative events, we observed that hydrogen bonding persists at high pressure, up to at least 20 GPa. Our computed Raman spectra, which are in excellent agreement with experiment, show no distinctive signatures of the hydronium and hydroxide ions present in our simulations. Instead, we found that infrared spectra are sensitive probes of molecular dissociation, exhibiting a broad band below the OH stretching mode ascribable to vibrations of complex ions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ionic conductivity of sodium–strontium germanate Na{sub 4}SrGe{sub 6}O{sub 15}

The electrical conductivity of sodium–strontium germanate Na{sub 4}SrGe{sub 6}O{sub 15} (sp. gr. P6{sub 3}/m) has been studied by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10{sup 2}–4 × 10{sup 4} Hz and a temperature range of 450–600 K. Na4SrGe6O15 crystals were obtained by hydrothermal technique in the Na{sub 2}O–SrO–GeO{sub 2}–H{sub 2}O system (temperature t = 300–600°C and pressure p = 1.4 × 10{sup 8} Pа in the dissolution zone). The ionic conductivity of ceramic Na{sub 4}SrGe{sub 6}O{sub 15} samples is σ = 2.2 × 10{sup –6} S/cm (at 573 K), the activation energy of Na{sup +} ion transfer is E{sub a} = 0.70 ± 0.03 eV.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synthesis, crystal structure, and ionic conductivity of a new layered metal phosphate, Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}

A new layered metal phosphate, Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, was synthesized in the form of either a single-crystal or polycrystalline powder using the molten hydroxide flux method or a solid-state reaction, respectively. Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} crystallizes to the P2{sub 1}/n (Z=4) monoclinic space group with lattice parameters a≈4.95 Å, b≈22.06 Å, c≈8.63 Å, and β≈91.5°. The structure is composed of stacked [LiSrAl(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}] layers alternating regularly with [LiSrPO{sub 4}] layers. In the [LiSrAl(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}] sublattice, the AlO{sub 6} octahedra and PO{sub 4} tetrahedra are tilted cooperatively to form an anionic, corrugated, two-dimensional [Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}]{sup 3−} framework that can be regarded as a “distorted-glaserite” structure. The [LiSrPO{sub 4}] sublattice is that of a layered block containing a six-membered ring formed from alternating linkages of LiO{sub 4} and PO{sub 4} tetrahedra. The six-membered rings show a boat-type arrangement with the up(U) or down(D) pointing sequence, UUDUUD. The interspace between the two sublattices generates a two-dimensional pathway for Li{sup +} ion conduction. The impedance measurement indicated that Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} had a moderate ion conductivity (σ≈1.30×10{sup −4} S cm{sup −1} at 667 K), with an activation energy E{sub a}≈1.02 eV. - Graphical abstract: Polyhedral view of Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}. Li{sup +} ions are represented by green spheres, Sr atoms by white spheres, AlO{sub 6} groups by octahedra, and PO{sub 4} groups by tetrahedra. - Highlights: • New compound Li{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Al(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} is reported. • The crystal structure is investigated by single-crystal XRD analysis. • The structure is formed by the alternate stacking of two different sublattices. • Correlation between the crystal structure and ionic conductivity is discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

110th Anniversary: The Dehydration and Loss of Ionic Conductivity in Anion Exchange Membranes Due to FeCl 4 – Ion Exchange and the Role of Membrane Microstructure

Anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) often dehydrate and lose ionic conductivity in ferric chloride solutions used in all-iron or iron–chromium redox flow batteries (RFB). In this work, the change in material and ionic transport properties of three AEMs with similar concentrations of ion exchange sites and hydration numbers (mol H 2 O/mol ion exchange site) upon exposure to ferric chloride/hydrochloric acid solutions were studied. Raman spectroscopy and iron sorption measurements show that FeCl 4 – occupies a fraction of the AEM ion exchange sites that depends on the ferric chloride concentration in the external solution. The AEM hydration number is linearly proportional to the amount of iron sorbed in the AEMs, suggesting that the displacement of the original hydrated Cl – counterions for unhydrated FeCl 4 – is the dominant mechanism for membrane dehydration. The ionic resistivity of the AEMs containing FeCl 4 – increased by as much as 4 orders of magnitude due to dehydration and, at high FeC l3 solution concentrations (≥1.4M), also due to nonideal solution effects. Although the three AEMs have similar ion exchange site concentrations, the AEM with the closer local spacing of ion exchange sites exhibits higher FeCl 4 – sorption, and a correspondingly greater dehydration and resistivity increase in dilute FeCl 3 solutions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

The ionic conductivity of Sm‐doped ceria

Abstract The oxygen ion conductivity of polycrystalline samples of Sm‐doped ceria and of Gd‐doped ceria is studied as a function of doping fraction and temperature using impedance spectroscopy allowing the separation of bulk and grain boundary conductivity. The introduction of a fine spacing for the Sm dopant fraction allows the clear identification of the dopant fraction leading to the largest bulk conductivity. At 267°C, the largest bulk conductivity is shown for Ce 0.93 Sm 0.07 O 1.965 . With increasing temperature, indications of an increase in the dopant fraction, which leads to the maximum in conductivity, are found. For the grain boundary conductivity, the maximum appears at larger dopant fractions compared to the bulk conductivity. The largest total conductivity for both dopants is again found for Sm‐doped ceria. In literature, different syntheses and sample preparation methods led to larger total conductivities for Gd‐doped ceria. In this work, we demonstrate that the variation of sintering conditions leads to scattering in the conductivity over one order of magnitude. Finally, we demonstrate that, in nominally pure cerium oxide, impurities dominate the ionic conductivity.

Koettgen, Julius↗
DOE OSTI2024

The persistence of memory in ionic conduction probed by nonlinear optics

Predicting practical rates of transport in condensed phases enables the rational design of materials, devices and processes. This is especially critical to developing low-carbon energy technologies such as rechargeable batteries. For ionic conduction, the collective mechanisms, variation of conductivity with timescales and confinement, and ambiguity in the phononic origin of translation, call for a direct probe of the fundamental steps of ionic diffusion: ion hops. However, such hops are rare-event large-amplitude translations, and are challenging to excite and detect. Here we use single-cycle terahertz pumps to impulsively trigger ionic hopping in battery solid electrolytes. This is visualized by an induced transient birefringence, enabling direct probing of anisotropy in ionic hopping on the picosecond timescale. The relaxation of the transient signal measures the decay of orientational memory, and the production of entropy in diffusion. We extend experimental results using in silico transient birefringence to identify vibrational attempt frequencies for ion hopping. Using nonlinear optical methods, we probe ion transport at its fastest limit, distinguish correlated conduction mechanisms from a true random walk at the atomic scale, and demonstrate the connection between activated transport and the thermodynamics of information.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultra-Stretchable, Ionic Conducting, Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive with Dual Role for Stable Li-Metal Batteries

The practical application of lithium (Li) metal battery is impeded by the Li dendrite growth and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. Herein, an ultra-stretchable and ionic conducting chemically crosslinked pressure-sensitive adhesive (cPSA) synthesized via the copolymerization of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and acrylic acid with poly(ethyleneglycol)dimethacrylate as crosslinker (short for 70cPSA), is developed as both artificial SEI layer and solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) for stable Li-metal electrode, enabling all-solid-state Li metal batteries with excellent cycling performance. As an artificial SEI layer, the 70cPSA-modified electrodes exhibit excellent electrochemical performance in Li|70cPSA@Cu half cells and 70cPSA@Li|70cPSA@Li symmetric cells. In full cells with LiFePO 4 (LFP) as cathode, the 70cPSA@Li|LFP cell exhibits stable cycling performance over 250 cycles. Utilized as SPE, the all-solid-state Li|SPE|LFP cell delivers excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 86% over 500 cycles. With high-voltage LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) as cathode, the Li|SPE|NMC811 cell exhibits a discharge capacity of 124.3 mAh g -1 with a capacity retention of 71% after 200 cycles. Furthermore, the rational design of PSAs and investigation of their dual role for stable and safe Li-metal batteries may shed a light on adhesive polymers for battery applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗