Electrical conductivity of Al-doped Li2ZrO3 ceramics for Li-ion conductor electrolytes

All-solid-state Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have recently attracted widespread attention for their high energy density and safety. Some research have conducted on the Li₂ZrO₃-based Li-ion conductor electrolytes, while there is little work on the conductivity below 100 °C, although it is very important for LIBs work around room temperature. Here, monoclinic Li₂ZrO₃-based ceramics are prepared via a wet chemistry method, and the conductivities of Li₂ZrO₃ ceramics are tuned by defect engineering of Al³⁺ ions introduction. The conductivity of Al-doped Li₂ZrO₃ reaches up to 3.06 × 10^-4 S cm^-1 at 25 °C, the related activation energy of conduction is less than 0.1 eV. Simulation calculation using bond valence site energy reveals that there is a two-dimensional Li-ion migration network in the crystal structure of Li₂ZrO₃.