Exploring Chemical and Electrochemical Limitations in Sulfide Solid State Electrolytes: A Critical Review on Current Status and Manufacturing Scope

The escalating demand for sustainable energy storage solutions, driven by the depletion of fossil fuels has stimulated extensive research in advanced battery technologies. Over the past two decades, global primary energy consumption, initially satisfied by non-renewables, has raised environmental concerns. Despite the availability of renewable sources like solar and wind, storage challenges propel innovation in batteries. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have gained recognition for their high energy density and cost-effectiveness. However, issues such as safety concerns, dendrite formation, and limited operational temperatures necessitate alternative solutions. A promising approach involves replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with non-flammable solid electrolytes (SEs). SEs represent a transformative shift in battery technology, offering stability, safety, and expanded temperature ranges. They effectively mitigate dendrite growth, enhancing battery reliability and lifespan. SEs also improve energy density, making them crucial for applications like portable gadgets, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage. However, challenges such as ionic conductivity, chemical and thermal stability, mechanical strength, and manufacturability must be addressed. This review paper briefly identifies SE types, discusses their advantages and disadvantages, and explores ion transport fundamentals and all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) production challenges. It comprehensively analyzes sulfide SEs (SSEs), focusing on recent advancements, chemical and electrochemical challenges, and potential future improvements. Electrochemical reactions, electrolyte materials, compositions, and cell designs are critically assessed for their impact on battery performance. The review also addresses challenges in ASSB production. The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of SSEs, laying the groundwork for advancing sustainable and efficient energy storage systems.