Single-Mode Microwave Impact on the Grain Boundaries and Ionic Conductivity of LAGP for Solid State Battery Applications.

LAGP is a glass-ceramic with potential to be utilized as a solid-state electrolyte in Li-Ion batteries, although its utilization has been slowed by low ionic conductivity. Research has shown that grain boundaries can have a significant impact on a solid-state electrolyte's ability to transport ions and may be modified by methods ranging from thermal sintering to spark plasma sintering, among others. In many ceramic systems, microwave processing has been demonstrated to lower the sintering time while also affecting grain growth, but little study has been done on the resulting impact on ionic transport. We initiate a study of the impact of single mode microwave processing on grain development in LAGP. The effect of microwave interaction with LAGP is discussed with respect to the grain structure and underlying transport mechanisms.