Enabling High-Performance Hybrid Solid-State Batteries by Improving the Microstructure of Free-Standing LATP/LFP Composite Cathodes.

The phosphate lithium-ion conductor LiAlTi(PO) (LATP) is an economically attractive solid electrolyte for the fabrication of safe and robust solid-state batteries, but high sintering temperatures pose a material engineering challenge for the fabrication of cell components. In particular, the high surface roughness of composite cathodes resulting from enhanced crystal growth is detrimental to their integration into cells with practical energy density. In this work, we demonstrate that efficient free-standing ceramic cathodes of LATP and LiFePO (LFP) can be produced by using a scalable tape casting process.

Energetic Stability and Its Role in the Mechanism of Ionic Transport in NASICON-Type Solid-State Electrolyte LiAlTi(PO).

We apply high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry to assess the thermodynamic properties of the material LiAlTi(PO), which has been broadly recognized as one of the best Li-ion-conducting solid electrolytes of the NASICON family. The experimental results reveal large exothermic enthalpies of formation from binary oxides (Δ) and elements (Δ) for all compositions in the range 0 ≤ ≤ 0.5.

HfMoSb4, the first nonmetallic early transition metal antimonide.

HfMoSb4, isostructural with the isoelectronic NbSb2, exhibits nonmetallic properties, as predicted via electronic structure calculations made before the actual discovery of HfMoSb4.

Crystal structure and physical properties of a new CuTi2S4 modification in comparison to the thiospinel.

A new modification of CuTi(2)S(4) was prepared from the elements at 425 degrees C. It crystallizes in the rhombohedral space group Rm, with lattice parameters of a = 7.0242(4) A, c = 34.

Planar nets of Ti atoms comprising squares and rhombs in the new binary antimonide Ti2Sb.

The new binary antimonide Ti(2)Sb was found to crystallize in a distorted variant of the La(2)Sb type, which contains a square planar La net with short La-La bonds. In the Ti(2)Sb structure, the corresponding Ti net is deformed to squares and rhombs in order to enhance Ti-Ti bonding, as proven by single-crystal X-ray investigation in combination with the real-space pair distribution function technique utilizing both X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. Electronic structure calculations revealed a lowering of the total energy caused by the disorder, the major driving force being strengthened Ti-Ti interactions along the diagonal of the Ti(4) rhombs.