Perovskite-Oxide-Based Thin Films for Battery Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Perovskite oxides are promising as thin-film electrode materials and model systems because their composition, oxygen-vacancy concentration, and electronic/ionic conductivities are highly tuneable, yielding useful electrochemical activity for Li-ion and O₂ reactions [1–3]. So far, high-quality perovskite thin films for battery uses have been fabricated by spin-coating, metalorganic atomic layer and chemical vapor deposition routes, pulsed laser deposition, sputtering, and solution methods [4–11].  It has been shown that post-deposition treatments such as thermal annealing in controlled atmospheres strongly affects ionic conductivity and stability [12,13]. Some limitations that inhibit electrode performance arise from chemical and/or electrochemical stability (moisture, redox conditions), ion migration, and interfacial compatibility with common battery chemistries, inhibiting practical battery deployment [1,8,14,15]. Artificial solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) in the form of ultrathin perovskite films, such as Li-doped perovskites, can provide highly conductive Li⁺ pathways and protect Li metal from parasitic reactions [16], evidencing improved Li flux and cycling when a perovskite film is used as an engineered SEI [17]. Perovskite-oxide-based thin films often need carefully engineered interfaces to metal electrodes or solid electrolytes to avoid reactions and to maintain low interfacial resistance [18]. Fundamental perovskite oxide thin-film model studies reveal mechanistic insights that can be translated to devices [19]. A continued focus on interface engineering and scalable and stable deposition routes is required [20]. Lastly, lead oxide perovskites raise toxicity and environmental concerns [21]. Hence, lead-free alternatives are being pursued, but often trade stability with ionic performance [22].

Topics of interest of thin-film metal-oxide perovskites:

• Artificial SEI layers on Li metal or cathodes.
• Tuneable ionic conductivity via doping and strain.
• Novel cathode and anode electrodes for batteries.
• Oxygen redox and anion redox chemistry in next-gen cathodes.
• Defect migration and interfacial reactions at an atomic level.
• Suppression of dendrite growth and improved interfacial stability.
• Designing stable and non-toxic perovskite oxide films for green energy devices.
• Electrode model systems.

References:

[1] C.E. Beall, E. Fabbri, T.J. Schmidt, Perovskite Oxide Based Electrodes for the Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions: The Underlying Mechanism, ACS Catal. 11 (2021) 3094–3114. doi:10.1021/ACSCATAL.0C04473.

[2] Y. Sun, J. Yang, S. Li, D. Wang, Defect engineering in perovskite oxide thin films, Chem. Commun. 57 (2021) 8402–8420. doi:10.1039/D1CC02276H.

[3] M. Tyunina, L.L. Rusevich, E.A. Kotomin, O. Pacherova, T. Kocourek, A. Dejneka, Epitaxial growth of perovskite oxide films facilitated by oxygen vacancies, J. Mater. Chem. C. 9 (2021) 1693–1700. doi:10.1039/D0TC05750A.

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[11] M. Tian, L. Xu, Y. Yang, Perovskite Oxide Ferroelectric Thin Films, Adv. Electron. Mater. 8 (2022) 2101409. doi:10.1002/AELM.202101409.

[12] H. Wang, C. Frontera, B. Martínez, N. Mestres, Rapid Thermal Annealing of Double Perovskite Thin Films Formed by Polymer Assisted Deposition, Mater. 2020, Vol. 13, Page 4966. 13 (2020) 4966. doi:10.3390/MA13214966.

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[14] M.J. Montenegro, M. Döbeli, T. Lippert, S. Müller, A. Weidenkaff, P.R. Willmott, A. Wokaun, Can thin perovskite film materials be applied as model systems for battery applications?, Appl. Surf. Sci. 247 (2005) 197–203. doi:10.1016/J.APSUSC.2005.01.087.

[15] H.S. Park, H.J. Jeong, K. hee Kim, W. Chang, Y.S. Kim, Y.S. Choi, J.H. Shim, High-performance proton ceramic fuel cells using a perovskite oxide cathode surface decorated with CoOx nanoparticles, Appl. Surf. Sci. 612 (2023) 155812. doi:10.1016/J.APSUSC.2022.155812.

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[17] Y. Wang, L. Tan, Y. Qian, Y. Zhang, H. Jiang, S. Xiong, J. Feng, Lithiophilic perovskite-CaTiO3 engineered separator for dendrite-suppressing 5 V-class lithium metal batteries with commercial carbonate-based electrolyte, Appl. Surf. Sci. 583 (2022) 152430. doi:10.1016/J.APSUSC.2022.152430.

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[19] L. Heymann, I.C.G. van den Bosch, D.H. Wielens, O. Kurbjeweit, E. van der Minne, E.M. Kiens, A. Kaus, D. Schön, S. Menzel, B. Boukamp, F. Gunkel, C. Baeumer, Revealing the Intrinsic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of Perovskite Oxides across Conductivity Ranges Using Thin Film Model Systems, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 17 (2025) 21110–21121. doi:10.1021/ACSAMI.4C20141.

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Prof. Dr. Carlos Jose Macedo Tavares
Guest Editor

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• perovskite thin films
• perovskite oxides
• solid electrolyte interphases
• metal-oxide thin film electrode
• perovskite thin films for battery
• perovskite oxide chemical and electrochemical stability
• lead-free perovskite oxide