Direct Precursor Route for the Fabrication of LLZO Composite Cathodes for Solid-State Batteries

Solid-state batteries based on Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) garnet electrolyte are a robust and safe alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. However, the large-scale implementation of ceramic composite cathodes is still challenging due to a complex multistep manufacturing process. A new one-step route for the direct synthesis of LLZO during the manufacturing of LLZO/LiCoO₂ (LCO) composite cathodes based on cheap precursors and utilizing the industrially established tape casting process is presented. It is shown that Al, Ta:LLZO can be formed directly in the presence of LCO from metal oxide precursors (LiOH, La₂O₃, ZrO₂, Al₂O₃, and Ta₂O₅) by heating to 1050 °C, eliminating the time- and energy-consuming synthesis of preformed LLZO powders. In addition, performance-optimized gradient microstructures can be produced by sequential casting of slurries with different compositions, resulting in dense and flat phase-pure cathodes without unwanted ion interdiffusion or secondary phase formation. Freestanding cathodes with a thickness of 85 µm, a relative density of 95%, and an industrial relevant LCO loading of 15 mg show an initial capacity of 82 mAh g^-1 (63% of the theoretical capacity of LCO) in a solid-state cell with Li metal anodes, which is comparable to conventional LCO/LLZO cathodes and can be further improved in the future.