Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries for sustainable design and manufacturing

Purpose All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs) have attracted enormous attention recently since they are safer, and have higher energy density and wider operating temperature compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, ASSLIB manufacturing involves energy-intensive processes and the environmental impacts have not been fully understood. Methods Here we developed a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment model to study environmental impacts of a typical ASSLIB with Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)(3) (LATP) inorganic solid electrolyte (ISE), and compared the results with conventional LIBs with lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (EC/DMC)-based liquid electrolyte, to guide the sustainable design of ASSLIBs. Sensitivity analysis is also performed to investigate the environmental impact variations considering the future scale-up productions and technology advancement scenarios. Results and discussion We found that manufacturing one CR2032 ASSLIB requires 2.6 MJ primary energy and generates 0.1 kg CO2-eq. global warming potential (GWP), and it has higher environmental impacts when compared with a conventional LiPF6 EC/DMC-based liquid LIBs which requires 1.1 MJ primary energy and generates 0.05 kg CO2-eq. GWP. Through the sensitivity analysis, the environmental impacts can be reduced at large-scale fabrication at different levels due to the decrease of manufacturing energy and ISE thickness. Conclusion The hotspots identified in ASSLIB production include the thickness of LATP electrolyte, the energy-intensive manufacturing processes to produce LATP, and the production of the LATP precursor H-2[TiO(C2O4)(2)]. To achieve sustainable development of ASSLIBs, it is crucial to reduce the energy-intensive heating processes, improve energy efficiency, and overcome technology barriers, such as the brittle ISE characteristic.

Automated summary

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs) have attracted attention due to their higher safety, energy density, and operating temperature range. However, their manufacturing process is energy-intensive with significant environmental impacts compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). It is crucial to reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency, and overcome technological barriers for the sustainable development of ASSLIBs.