Li metal has long been considered the ideal anode material for Li rechargeable batteries. In this study, researchers employed synchrotron-based X-ray imaging methods at CHESS to image the evolution of Li plating/stripping on the Li metal anode under operando and practical conditions for battery operation. This provides detailed insights into the effects of critical battery operating parameters, such as Li salts, current density, ionic strength, electrolytes and additives, on dendrite growth.
Broader Impacts of this work?
Given the enormous practical potentialof Li metal anodes, operando studies using X-ray imaging techniques like this current research will lead to a deeper understanding of the complex Li plating/stripping mechanism, and provide a platform for further development and eventual large-scale deployment of Li metal anodes in rechargeable batteries.
Why is this important?
The direct visualization of the morphological evolution of Li plating/stripping showshow thesebattery operating parameters affectthe Li plating mechanism, leading to different morphologies of plated Li (such as cactus-Li or volcanic-Li).This delicate interplay of these parameters on the Li metal morphology has been characterized for the first time.
Why did this research need CHESS?
In this work, synchrotron based X-ray imaging is the main characterization tool. CHESS has developed a sophisticated experimental setup for operando X-ray imaging in battery systems. This setup is ideal for investigating the macroscopic scaled morphological evolution of the electrode material during the battery operation. The size of Li dendrite isseveralmicrometers, which fits very well within the detection range of X-ray imaging at CHESS.
How was the work funded?
The research at CHESS is supported underNSF award DMR-1332208. Support from the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc2) as well as alpha-enInc. is acknowledged.
Seung-Ho Yu, Xin Huang (Cornell University, USA, and Korea University, Republic of Korea)
DMR-1332208