Li+ transport properties of W substituted Li7La3Zr2O12 cubic lithium garnets

Lithium garnet Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZ) sintered at 1230 °C has received considerable importance in recent times as result of its high total (bulk + grain boundary) ionic conductivity of 5 × 10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature. In this work we report Li+ transport process of Li7−2xLa3Zr2−xWxO12 (x = 0.3, 0.5) cubic lithium garnets. Among the investigated compounds, Li6.4La3Zr1.7W0.3O12 sintered relatively at lower temperature 1100 °C exhibits highest room temperature (30 °C) total (bulk + grain boundary) ionic conductivity of 7.89 × 10−4 S cm−1. The temperature dependencies of the bulk conductivity and relaxation frequency in the bulk are governed by the same activation energy. Scaling the conductivity spectra for both Li6.4La3Zr1.7W0.3O12 and Li6La3Zr1.5W0.5O12 sample at different temperatures merges on a single curve, which implies that the relaxation dynamics of charge carriers is independent of temperature. The shape of the imaginary part of the modulus spectra suggests that the relaxation processes are non-Debye in nature. The present studies supports the prediction of optimum Li+ concentration required for the highest room temperature Li+ conductivity in LixLa3M2O12 is around x = 6.4 ± 0.1.