Role of Li-Ion Depletion on Electrode Surface: Underlying Mechanism for Electrodeposition Behavior of Lithium Metal Anode

• The application of lithium metal as an anode material for next generation high energy-density batteries has to overcome the major bottleneck that is the seemingly unavoidable growth of Li dendrites caused by non-uniform electrodeposition on the electrode surface. This problem must be addressed by clarifying the detailed mechanism. In this work the mass-transfer of Li-ions is investigated, a key process controlling the electrochemical reaction. By a phase field modeling approach, the Li-ion concentration and the electric fields are visualized to reveal the role of three key experimental parameters, operating temperature, Li-salt concentration in electrolyte, and applied current density, on the microstructure of deposited Li. It is shown that a rapid depletion of Li-ions on electrode surface, induced by, e.g., low operating temperature, diluted electrolyte and a high applied current density, is the underlying driving force for non-uniform electrodeposition of Li. Thus, a viable route to realize a dendrite-free Li plating process would be to mitigate the depletion of Li-ions on the electrode surface. The methodology and results in this work may boost the practical applicability of Li anodes in Li metal batteries and other battery systems using metal anodes.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Kemiteknik -- Annan kemiteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Chemical Engineering -- Other Chemical Engineering (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Annan fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Other Physics Topics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Annan kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Other Chemistry Topics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

surface concentration

lithium metal anodes

mass-transfer

electrodeposition

depletion of Li-ions

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)