Nano Lett. 2016 Feb 10;16(2):1276-81. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04604. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Atomic/Molecular Layer Deposition of Lithium Terephthalate Thin Films as High Rate Capability Li-Ion Battery Anodes.

Nano letters

Mikko Nisula, Maarit Karppinen

PMID: 26812433 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04604

Abstract

We demonstrate the fabrication of high-quality electrochemically active organic lithium electrode thin films by the currently strongly emerging combined atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) technique using lithium terephthalate, a recently found anode material for lithium-ion battery (LIB), as a proof-of-the-concept material. Our deposition process for Li-terephthalate is shown to well comply with the basic principles of ALD-type growth including the sequential self-saturated surface reactions, a necessity when aiming at micro-LIB devices with three-dimensional architectures. The as-deposited films are found crystalline across the deposition temperature range of 200-280 °C, which is a trait highly desired for an electrode material but rather unusual for hybrid inorganic-organic thin films. Excellent rate capability is ascertained for the Li-terephthalate films with no conductive additives required. The electrode performance can be further enhanced by depositing a thin protective LiPON solid-state electrolyte layer on top of Li-terephthalate; this yields highly stable structures with capacity retention of over 97% after 200 charge/discharge cycles at 3.2 C.

Keywords: Atomic layer deposition; molecular layer deposition; organic electrode; thin film battery

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't