Fast Ionic Conductivity in the Most Lithium-Rich Phosphidosilicate Li₁₄SiP₆

Solid electrolytes with superionic conductivity are required as a main component for all-solid-state batteries. Here we present a novel solid electrolyte with three-dimensional conducting pathways based on "lithium-rich" phosphidosilicates with ionic conductivity of σ > 10^-3 S cm^-1 at room temperature and activation energy of 30-32 kJ mol^-1 expanding the recently introduced family of lithium phosphidotetrelates. Aiming toward higher lithium ion conductivities, systematic investigations of lithium phosphidosilicates gave access to the so far lithium-richest compound within this class of materials. The crystalline material (space group Fm3m), which shows reversible thermal phase transitions, can be readily obtained by ball mill synthesis from the elements followed by moderate thermal treatment of the mixture. Lithium diffusion pathways via both tetrahedral and octahedral voids are analyzed by temperature-dependent powder neutron diffraction measurements in combination with maximum entropy method and DFT calculations. Moreover, the lithium ion mobility structurally indicated by a disordered Li/Si occupancy in the tetrahedral voids plus partially filled octahedral voids is studied by temperature-dependent impedance and ⁷Li NMR spectroscopy.