Identifying Bounds of Inorganic Content in Solventless Processing of Hybrid Solid Electrolytes

Abstract

Abstract. Solid-state lithium batteries require safe, robust electrolytes to enable higher energy densities and improved safety over conventional cells. Hybrid polymer–ceramic electrolytes are a promising solution, combining the processability of polymers with the high ionic conductivity and mechanical strength of inorganic fillers. In this work, we demonstrate a solventless, ultraviolet (UV)-curing method to produce hybrid solid electrolytes using a poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether-based photocurable matrix incorporating Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 (LAGP) or Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) ceramic electrolyte. Inorganic filler loadings up to ∼55 wt% could be successfully incorporated via this process, which was the highest inorganic content at which the slurry remains processable and cured into a uniform film. The resulting UV-cured composite electrolytes remain flexible and exhibit room-temperature ionic conductivities on the order of 10−4 S/cm, along with notably improved lithium-ion transference numbers compared to conventional polymer electrolytes. Similar performance and processing limits were observed for both LAGP and LLZO, indicating that ceramic filler chemistry does not significantly affect the UV curing process or the electrolyte's ion transport properties in this regime. Eliminating solvents from fabrication not only simplifies processing and mitigates environmental concerns but also enables higher solid contents that enhance mechanical strength and help suppress lithium dendrite formation. This scalable approach thus paves the way for manufacturing robust composite solid electrolytes for next-generation solid-state batteries.