Characterization of solid electrolytes prepared from ionic glass and ionic liquid for all-solid-state lithium batteries

Glassy solid electrolytes were prepared by combining the 50Li2SO4·50Li3BO3 (mol%) ionic glass and the 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMI]BF4) ionic liquid. High-energy ball milling was carried out for the mixture of the inorganic ionic glass and the organic ionic liquid. The ambient temperature conductivity of the glass electrolyte with 10 mol% [EMI]BF4 was 10−4 S cm−1, which was three orders of magnitude higher than that of the 50Li2SO4·50Li3BO3 glass. The addition of [EMI]BF4 to the ionic glass decreased glass transition temperature (Tg) of the glass and the decrease of Tg is closely related to the enhancement of conductivity of the glass. Morphology and local structure of the glass electrolyte was characterized. The dissolution of an ionic liquid in an ionic glass with Li+ ion conductivity is a novel way to developing glass electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium secondary batteries.