High-energy all-solid-state lithium batteries enabled by Co-free LiNiO2 cathodes with robust outside-in structures.

A critical current challenge in the development of all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) is reducing the cost of fabrication without compromising the performance. Here we report a sulfide ASSLB based on a high-energy, Co-free LiNiO2 cathode with a robust outside-in structure. This promising cathode is enabled by the high-pressure O2 synthesis and subsequent atomic layer deposition of a unique ultrathin LixAlyZnzOδ protective layer comprising a LixAlyZnzOδ surface coating region and an Al and Zn near-surface doping region. This high-quality artificial interphase enhances the structural stability and interfacial dynamics of the cathode as it mitigates the contact loss and continuous side reactions at the cathode/solid electrolyte interface. As a result, our ASSLBs exhibit a high areal capacity (4.65 mAh cm-2), a high specific cathode capacity (203 mAh g-1), superior cycling stability (92% capacity retention after 200 cycles) and a good rate capability (93 mAh g-1 at 2C). This work also offers mechanistic insights into how to break through the limitation of using expensive cathodes (for example, Co-based) and coatings (for example, Nb-, Ta-, La- or Zr-based) while still achieving a high-energy ASSLB performance.

Competition between Al2O3 atomic layer etching and AlF3 atomic layer deposition using sequential exposures of trimethylaluminum and hydrogen fluoride.

The thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of Al2O3 can be performed using sequential and self-limiting reactions with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) as the reactants. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of AlF3 can also be accomplished using the same reactants. This paper examined the competition between Al2O3 ALE and AlF3 ALD using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) vibrational spectroscopy measurements on Al2O3 ALD-coated SiO2 nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra could observe an absorbance loss of the Al-O stretching vibrations during Al2O3 ALE or an absorbance gain of the Al-F stretching vibrations during AlF3 ALD. The transition from AlF3 ALD to Al2O3 ALE occurred versus reaction temperature and was also influenced by the N2 or He background gas pressure. Higher temperatures and lower background gas pressures led to Al2O3 ALE. Lower temperatures and higher background gas pressures led to AlF3 ALD. The FTIR measurements also monitored AlCH3* and HF* species on the surface after the TMA and HF reactant exposures. The loss of AlCH3* and HF* species at higher temperatures is believed to play a vital role in the transition between AlF3 ALD at lower temperatures and Al2O3 ALE at higher temperatures. The change between AlF3 ALD and Al2O3 ALE was defined by the transition temperature. Higher transition temperatures were observed using larger N2 or He background gas pressures. This correlation was associated with variations in the N2 or He gas thermal conductivity versus pressure. The fluorination reaction during Al2O3 ALE is very exothermic and leads to temperature rises in the SiO2 nanoparticles. These temperature transients influence the Al2O3 etching. The higher N2 and He gas thermal conductivities are able to cool the SiO2 nanoparticles more efficiently and minimize the size of the temperature rises. The competition between Al2O3 ALE and AlF3 ALD using TMA and HF illustrates the interplay between etching and growth and the importance of substrate temperature. Background gas pressure also plays a key role in determining the transition temperature for nanoparticle substrates.

Thermal Atomic Layer Etching of SiO2 by a "Conversion-Etch" Mechanism Using Sequential Reactions of Trimethylaluminum and Hydrogen Fluoride.

The thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of SiO2 was performed using sequential reactions of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) at 300 °C. Ex situ X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements revealed that the etch rate during SiO2 ALE was dependent on reactant pressure. SiO2 etch rates of 0.027, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.31 Å/cycle were observed at static reactant pressures of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 4.0 Torr, respectively. Ex situ spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements were in agreement with these etch rates versus reactant pressure. In situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy investigations also observed SiO2 etching that was dependent on the static reactant pressures. The FTIR studies showed that the TMA and HF reactions displayed self-limiting behavior at the various reactant pressures. In addition, the FTIR spectra revealed that an Al2O3/aluminosilicate intermediate was present after the TMA exposures. The Al2O3/aluminosilicate intermediate is consistent with a "conversion-etch" mechanism where SiO2 is converted by TMA to Al2O3, aluminosilicates, and reduced silicon species following a family of reactions represented by 3SiO2 + 4Al(CH3)3 → 2Al2O3 + 3Si(CH3)4. Ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed the reduction of silicon species after TMA exposures. Following the conversion reactions, HF can fluorinate the Al2O3 and aluminosilicates to species such as AlF3 and SiOxFy. Subsequently, TMA can remove the AlF3 and SiOxFy species by ligand-exchange transmetalation reactions and then convert additional SiO2 to Al2O3. The pressure-dependent conversion reaction of SiO2 to Al2O3 and aluminosilicates by TMA is critical for thermal SiO2 ALE. The "conversion-etch" mechanism may also provide pathways for additional materials to be etched using thermal ALE.