2 research outputs found
Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Fast Lithium Ionic Conduction in a LiBH<sub>4</sub>āC<sub>60</sub> Nanocomposite
We have developed a LiBH<sub>4</sub>āC<sub>60</sub> nanocomposite that displays fast lithium ionic
conduction in the solid state. The material is a homogeneous nanocomposite
that contains both LiBH<sub>4</sub> and a hydrogenated fullerene species.
In the presence of C<sub>60</sub>, the lithium ion mobility of LiBH<sub>4</sub> is significantly enhanced in the as-prepared state when compared
to pure LiBH<sub>4</sub>. We also observed that after the material
is annealed, the lithium ion mobility is further enhanced. The magnitude
of enhancement in lithium ion mobility of the annealed material is
comparable to that previously observed for LiX (X = halide) addition
to LiBH<sub>4</sub>. In a LiBH<sub>4</sub>:C<sub>60</sub> 70:30 wt
% sample that was annealed, we measured Li ionic conductivity of 2.0
Ć 10<sup>ā5</sup> S/cm at 25 Ā°C and 2.0 Ć 10<sup>ā3</sup> S/cm at 140 Ā°C. Constant current cycling demonstrated
that the material is stable in the presence of metallic lithium electrodes.
First-principles calculations were also performed to demonstrate how
C<sub>60</sub> perturbs the interaction of lithium with the borohydride
anion yielding a plausible explanation for the observed high ionic
conductivity. The feasibility of this material as a solid state electrolyte
was then demonstrated in a solid-state lithium ion battery