Keywords: Li-ion batteries, intercalation cathodes, disordered rock salt, Li 2 VO 2 F Advanced cathode materials with superior energy storage capability are highly demanded for mobile and stationary applications. The inherent structural feature of Li + hosts is critical for the battery performance. High-capacity conversion cathode materials often encounter large voltage hysteresis (low energy efficiency) accompanied with the structural reconstruction.[1]The current commercial cathode materials are still dominated by intercalation materials with intrinsic structural integrity for accommodating Li + .[2] However, the known intercalation materials have limited theoretical capacity (< 300 mAh g -1 ). [3] In addition, structural transition/degradation have often been observed for the common intercalation hosts with ordered Li + / transition metal (TM) lattice sites. Antisite disorder (Li + sites/layers occupied by TM ions) in olivines can block the one-dimensional Li + diffusion path.[4] The activation barrier for Li + diffusion in layered oxides is sensitive to the Li-content, the spacing of the

Batteries based on a fluoride shuttle (fluoride ion battery, FIB) can theoretically provide high energy densities and can thus be considered as an interesting alternative to Li-ion batteries. Large improvements are still needed regarding their actual performance, in particular for the ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte. At the current state of the art, two types of fluoride families can be considered for electrolyte applications: alkaline-earth fluorides having a fluorite-type structure and rare-earth fluorides having a tysonite-type structure. As regard to the latter, high ionic conductivities have been reported for doped LaF3 single crystals. However, polycrystalline materials would be easier to implement in a FIB due to practical reasons in the cell manufacturing. Hence, we have analyzed in detail the ionic conductivity of La(1-y)Ba(y)F(3-y) (0 ≤ y ≤ 0.15) solid solutions prepared by ball milling. The combination of DC and AC conductivity analyses provides a better understanding of the conduction mechanism in tysonite-type fluorides with a blocking effect of the grain boundaries. Heat treatment of the electrolyte material was performed and leads to an improvement of the ionic conductivity. This confirms the detrimental effect of grain boundaries and opens new route for the development of solid electrolytes for FIB with high ionic conductivities.

Fluoride ion batteries (FIB) provide an interesting alternative to lithium ion batteries, in particular because of their larger theoretical energy densities. These batteries are based on a F anion shuttle between a metal fluoride cathode and a metal anode. One critical component is the electrolyte that should provide fast anion conduction. So far, this is only possible in solid so-called superionic conductors, at elevated temperatures. Herein, we analyze in detail the ionic conductivity in barium fluoride salts doped with lanthanum (Ba1–x La x F2+x ). Doping by trivalent cations leads to an increase of the quantity of point defects in the BaF2 crystal. These defects participate in the ionic motion and therefore improve the ionic conductivity. We demonstrate that further improvement of the conductivity is possible by using a nanostructured material providing additional conduction paths through the grain boundaries. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and AC conductivity analysis, we show that the ionic conduction in this material is controlled by the motion of vacancies through the grain boundaries. The mobility of the vacancies is influenced by the quantity of dopant but decrease for too large dopant concentrations. The optimum compositions having the highest conductivities are Ba0.6La0.4F2.4 and Ba0.7La0.3F2.3. The compound Ba0.6La0.4F2.4 was successfully used as an electrolyte in a FIB.