Publications

Mechanical, Microstructural, and Electrochemical Characterization of NaSICON Sodium Ion Conductors [Poster]

hill, ryan c.; Hempel, Jacob H.; Cheng, Yang-Tse C.; Spoerke, Erik D.; Small, Leo J.; Gross, Martha S.; Peretti, Amanda S.

The DOE Office of Electricity views sodium batteries as a priority in pursuing a safe, resilient, and reliable grid. Improvements in solid-state electrolytes are key to realizing the potential of these large-scale batteries. NaSICON structure consists of SiO₄ or PO₄ tetrahedra sharing common corners with ZrO₆ octahedra. Structure forms “tunnels” in three dimensions that can transport interstitial sodium ion. 3D structure provides higher ionic conductivity than other conductors (β’’-alumina), particularly at low temperature. Lower temperature (cheaper) processing compared to β’’-alumina. Our objective was to identify fundamental structure-processing-property relationships in NaSICON solid electrolytes to inform design for use in sodium batteries. In this work, the mechanical properties of NaSICON sodium ion conductors are affected by sodium conduction. Electrochemical cycling can alter modulus and hardness in NaSICON. Excessive cycling can lead to secondary phases and/or dendrite formation that change mechanical properties in NaSICON. Mechanical and electrochemical properties can be correlated with topographical features to further inform design decisions