Lithium-ion batteries are really popular batteries because they can store a lot of energy and are used in many things like phones, computers, and cars. But sometimes they take a while to charge, which can be annoying. Scientists are trying hard to make them charge faster, but it’s not easy because they have to be careful not to make them too hot and cause problems. They also need to make sure they don’t harm the environment when they make and get rid of these batteries.
When we charge lithium-ion batteries too fast, they can become dangerous because something called “lithium plating” might happen. This is when a layer of lithium metal forms on the battery’s graphite part, which can cause the battery to catch fire or explode. Scientists at the University of California and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory did some research to find ways to make fast-charging batteries safer. They figured out some easy ways to measure when lithium plating is happening inside the battery, which can help make sure the batteries are safe to use.
“We demonstrate the power of simple, accessible and high-throughput cycling techniques to quantify irreversible Li plating spanning data from over 200 cells,” Zachary M. Konz, Brandan M. Wirtz and their colleagues wrote in their paper. “We first observe the effects of energy density, charge rate, temperature and state of charge on lithium plating, use the results to refine a mature physics-based electrochemical model and provide an interpretable empirical equation for predicting the plating onset state of charge. We then explore the reversibility of lithium plating and its connection to electrolyte design for preventing irreversible Li accumulation.”
Konz and his team conducted tests to see if their method could accurately measure the buildup of lithium on the anodes of different types of batteries. They found that their technique worked well for both Li/Graphite and graphite/NMC battery cells, and were able to gather useful information about how lithium buildup happens in these batteries. By understanding this process better, they hope to improve the safety of these batteries and make it possible to charge them more quickly.
“We design a method to quantify in situ Li plating for commercially relevant graphite|LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC) cells and compare with results from the experimentally convenient Li|graphite configuration,” Konz and his colleagues explained in their paper. “The hypotheses and abundant data herein were generated primarily with equipment universal to the battery researcher, encouraging further development of innovative testing methods and data processing that enable rapid battery engineering.”
The researchers’ study adds to the ongoing efforts to enhance the safety and speed of LiBs charging. Before this, detecting lithium plating on the anodes of these batteries was a difficult task, which slowed down the development and deployment of fast-charging LiBs. However, the detection methods proposed by Konz and his team can help design safer and more efficient fast-charging LiBs. Additionally, these methods can provide valuable insights into the factors and processes that cause plating, which can help explore new battery designs and chemistries.
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