Quasi-In Situ XPS Insights into the Surface Chemistry of Garnet-Type Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 Solid-State Electrolytes: The Overlooked Impact of Pretreatments and a Direct Observation of the Formation of LiOH

Garnet-type Li_6.4La₃Zr_1.4Ta_0.6O₁₂ (LLZTO) is a highly promising solid-state lithium metal battery electrolyte due to its exceptional ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. However, when exposed to air, a passivation layer can be spontaneously formed on the garnet-type electrolyte, deteriorating its wettability with metallic lithium (Li) and impeding the lithium ion transfer at the Li-garnet electrolyte interface. The passivation layer is considered a critical issue for garnet-type solid electrolytes. Despite intensive research, the formation mechanism of the passivation film remains poorly understood. The key to elucidating the formation mechanism is to obtain a pristine garnet electrolyte surface and study how the pristine garnet electrolyte interacts with air. In this study, different passivation layer removal pretreatments were performed to expose pristine garnet electrolytes, and their impacts on the samples were systematically studied. The results reveal the overlooked negative impacts of vacuum annealing and acid treatment on LLZTO, which are indicated by the severe loss of Li and O and the formation of additional Li-depleted metal oxides. It was confirmed that argon annealing is the only viable approach to remove the passivation layer without introducing concomitant contaminations to LLZTO. Based on this method, we directly evidenced the formation of LiOH on LLZTO under rarefied air using quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was confirmed that the loss of Li and O ions, rather than Li⁺/H⁺ exchange, drives the formation of LiOH in the passivation layer. These results not only provide a better understanding of the surface and interface chemistry of LLZTO but also reveal a reliable surface treatment for the LLZTO sample.