Process related effects upon formation of composite electrolyte interfaces: Nitridation and reduction of NASICON-type electrolytes by deposition of LiPON

Commercial NASICON-type electrolyte plates are coated with a thin film of LiPON to obtain a composite electrolyte system with high conductivity at room temperature that can be used in contact with metallic Lithium. The formation of the interface between the NASICON substrate and the LiPON coating is studied using an in-situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) surface science approach. The process of LiPON deposition induces changes in the surface chemical structure of the NASICON substrates as observed by XPS, including the partial reduction of Ti and the incorporation of N into the NASICON. The practical impact of the interface formation is studied by impedance spectroscopy, revealing a substantial increase of resistance for LiPON coated samples. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.