Synthesis of lithium superionic conductor by growth of a nanoglass within mesoporous silica SBA-15 template

Nanodimensional silica based glasses containing alkali ions have recently been grown using suitable templates. These have shown electrical properties drastically different from those of their bulk counterpart. We have synthesized silicophosphate glasses having lithium ions with concentrations of 15-35 mole% Li₂O within mesoporous silica SBA-15 (Santa Barbara amorphous-15) comprising of pores of diameter ∼5 nm. The nanoglasses are characterized by electrical conductivities 5-6 orders of magnitude higher than those of the corresponding bulk glasses. These properties are attributed to the presence of a larger free volume in the nanoglasses as compared to their bulk states. The nanocomposites with 35 mole% Li₂O exhibit an electrical conductivity of ∼3 10^-4 S • cm^-1 at around room temperature. The activation energy for Li⁺ ion migration has been estimated from the conductivity-temperature variation to be 0.078 eV. These nanocomposites are believed to be ideally suited for the fabrication of solid state lithium ion batteries. We have also explored the efficiency of silicophosphate glass powders as possible electrode materials. Glass of composition 70SiO₂/30P₂O₅ was prepared by using Pluronic P-123 tri-block copolymer along with suitable precursor sols. Cyclic voltammetric and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements were carried out on the samples prepared in combination with suitable conductive fillers using a two-electrode system. These exhibited a high specific capacitance of 356 F g^-1 making them ideally suitable as electrode materials for making a lithium ion solid state battery system.