title: Conformal, Nanoscale ZnO Surface Modification of Garnet-Based Solid-State Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Anodes.
abstract: Solid-state electrolytes are known for nonflammability, dendrite blocking, and stability over large potential windows. Garnet-based solid-state electrolytes have attracted much attention for their high ionic conductivities and stability with lithium metal anodes. However, high-interface resistance with lithium anodes hinders their application to lithium metal batteries. Here, we demonstrate an ultrathin, conformal ZnO surface coating by atomic layer deposition for improved wettability of garnet solid-state electrolytes to molten lithium that significantly decreases the interface resistance to as low as ∼20 Ω·cm2. The ZnO coating demonstrates a high reactivity with lithium metal, which is systematically characterized. As a proof-of-concept, we successfully infiltrated lithium metal into porous garnet electrolyte, which can potentially serve as a self-supported lithium metal composite anode having both high ionic and electrical conductivity for solid-state lithium metal batteries. The facile surface treatment method offers a simple strategy to solve the interface problem in solid-state lithium metal batteries with garnet solid electrolytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Chengwei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Yunhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Boyang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Yiju
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Jiaqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Shaomao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Wachsman
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡University of Maryland Energy Research Center, University of Maryland College Park , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Liangbing
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9456-9315
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: Li metal batteries; Surface modification; ZnO interface; garnet solid-state electrolyte