skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Dendrites and Pits: Untangling the Complex Behavior of Lithium Metal Anodes through Operando Video Microscopy

Journal Article · · ACS Central Science
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [4];  [3];  [1]
  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States, Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
  3. Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
  4. Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States

Enabling ultra-high energy density rechargeable Li batteries would have widespread impact on society. But, the critical challenges of Li metal anodes (most notably cycle life and safety) remain unsolved. This is attributed to the evolution of Li metal morphology during cycling, which leads to dendrite growth and surface pitting. Herein, we present a comprehensive understanding of the voltage variations observed during Li metal cycling, which is directly correlated to morphology evolution through the use of operando video microscopy. A custom-designed visualization cell was developed to enable operando synchronized observation of Li metal electrode morphology and electrochemical behavior during cycling. A mechanistic understanding of the complex behavior of these electrodes is gained through correlation with continuum-scale modeling, which provides insight into the dominant surface kinetics. Our work provides a detailed explanation of (1) when dendrite nucleation occurs, (2) how those dendrites evolve as a function of time, (3) when surface pitting occurs during Li electrodissolution, (4) kinetic parameters that dictate overpotential as the electrode morphology evolves, and (5) how this understanding can be applied to evaluate electrode performance in a variety of electrolytes. Our results provide detailed insight into the interplay between morphology and the dominant electrochemical processes occurring on the Li electrode surface through an improved understanding of changes in cell voltage, which represents a powerful new platform for analysis.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1328970
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1334179
Journal Information:
ACS Central Science, Journal Name: ACS Central Science Vol. 2 Journal Issue: 11; ISSN 2374-7943
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 540 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Cited By (76)

Synergistic Effect of Graphene Oxide for Impeding the Dendritic Plating of Li journal February 2018
Reviving Lithium-Metal Anodes for Next-Generation High-Energy Batteries journal June 2017
Protected Lithium-Metal Anodes in Batteries: From Liquid to Solid journal July 2017
Suppressing Li Metal Dendrites Through a Solid Li‐Ion Backup Layer journal August 2018
Detecting Li Dendrites in a Two‐Electrode Battery System journal February 2019
Electrochemical Diagram of an Ultrathin Lithium Metal Anode in Pouch Cells journal July 2019
Lithium-Metal Foil Surface Modification: An Effective Method to Improve the Cycling Performance of Lithium-Metal Batteries journal June 2017
High‐Rate and Large‐Capacity Lithium Metal Anode Enabled by Volume Conformal and Self‐Healable Composite Polymer Electrolyte journal March 2019
Dendrite-Suppressed Lithium Plating from a Liquid Electrolyte via Wetting of Li 3 N journal July 2017
A Material Perspective of Rechargeable Metallic Lithium Anodes journal February 2018
3D TiC/C Core/Shell Nanowire Skeleton for Dendrite-Free and Long-Life Lithium Metal Anode journal December 2017
Ionic Liquids and Organic Ionic Plastic Crystals: Advanced Electrolytes for Safer High Performance Sodium Energy Storage Technologies journal May 2018
3D Wettable Framework for Dendrite-Free Alkali Metal Anodes journal May 2018
Zipper-Inspired SEI Film for Remarkably Enhancing the Stability of Li Metal Anode via Nucleation Barriers Controlled Weaving of Lithium Pits journal May 2018
Nanoporous CaCO 3 Coatings Enabled Uniform Zn Stripping/Plating for Long-Life Zinc Rechargeable Aqueous Batteries journal July 2018
Predicting Calendar Aging in Lithium Metal Secondary Batteries: The Impacts of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Composition and Stability journal August 2018
Enabling Stable Lithium Metal Anode via 3D Inorganic Skeleton with Superlithiophilic Interphase journal October 2018
Synergistic Effect of 3D Current Collectors and ALD Surface Modification for High Coulombic Efficiency Lithium Metal Anodes journal December 2018
Efficient Li‐Ion‐Conductive Layer for the Realization of Highly Stable High‐Voltage and High‐Capacity Lithium Metal Batteries journal February 2019
Cross Talk between Transition Metal Cathode and Li Metal Anode: Unraveling Its Influence on the Deposition/Dissolution Behavior and Morphology of Lithium journal April 2019
Ethylene Carbonate‐Free Electrolytes for High‐Nickel Layered Oxide Cathodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries journal June 2019
On the Reversibility and Fragility of Sodium Metal Electrodes journal August 2019
Fluorescence Probing of Active Lithium Distribution in Lithium Metal Anodes journal April 2019
Lithiophilic Sites in Doped Graphene Guide Uniform Lithium Nucleation for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes journal May 2017
Stabilizing Lithium Plating by a Biphasic Surface Layer Formed In Situ journal July 2018
Fluorescence Probing of Active Lithium Distribution in Lithium Metal Anodes journal April 2019
Enhanced Stability of Lithium Metal Anode by using a 3D Porous Nickel Substrate journal February 2018
Electrode Edge Effects and the Failure Mechanism of Lithium-Metal Batteries journal October 2018
Water as an Effective Additive for High‐Energy‐Density Na Metal Batteries? Studies in a Superconcentrated Ionic Liquid Electrolyte journal March 2019
Lignin@Nafion Membranes Forming Zn Solid–Electrolyte Interfaces Enhance the Cycle Life for Rechargeable Zinc‐Ion Batteries journal October 2019
Improvement of the Cycling Performance of Aluminum Anodes through Operando Light Microscopy and Kinetic Analysis journal February 2020
Heat‐Resistant Trilayer Separators for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries journal October 2019
Large‐Scale Modification of Commercial Copper Foil with Lithiophilic Metal Layer for Li Metal Battery journal January 2020
Straw-Brick-Like Carbon Fiber Cloth/Lithium Composite Electrode as an Advanced Lithium Metal Anode journal April 2018
Effect of Praseodymium Doping on Structural and Electrochemical Performance of Lithium Titanate Oxide (Li4Ti5O12) as New Anode Material for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal August 2018
Recent Advancements in Polymer-Based Composite Electrolytes for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries journal May 2018
Operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of solid electrolyte interphase formation and evolution in Li2S-P2S5 solid-state electrolytes journal June 2018
Tuning the electrolyte network structure to invoke quasi-solid state sulfur conversion and suppress lithium dendrite formation in Li–S batteries journal August 2018
Solid-state polymer electrolytes with in-built fast interfacial transport for secondary lithium batteries journal March 2019
Fluorinated reduced graphene oxide as a protective layer on the metallic lithium for application in the high energy batteries journal April 2018
In situ analytical techniques for battery interface analysis journal January 2018
Dead lithium: mass transport effects on voltage, capacity, and failure of lithium metal anodes journal January 2017
Do imaging techniques add real value to the development of better post-Li-ion batteries? journal January 2018
Bisalt ether electrolytes: a pathway towards lithium metal batteries with Ni-rich cathodes journal January 2019
Lithium phosphide/lithium chloride coating on lithium for advanced lithium metal anode journal January 2018
Mechanistic insight into dendrite–SEI interactions for lithium metal electrodes journal January 2018
Designing solvate ionogel electrolytes with very high room-temperature conductivity and lithium transference number journal January 2018
Mechanistic understanding of electrochemical plating and stripping of metal electrodes journal January 2019
Uniform lithium deposition on N-doped carbon-coated current collectors journal January 2019
Model systems for screening and investigation of lithium metal electrode chemistry and dendrite formation journal January 2020
Polar polymer–solvent interaction derived favorable interphase for stable lithium metal batteries journal January 2019
Mapping mechanisms and growth regimes of magnesium electrodeposition at high current densities journal January 2020
Nano-SiO 2 coating enabled uniform Na stripping/plating for dendrite-free and long-life sodium metal batteries journal January 2019
Akin solid–solid biphasic conversion of a Li–S battery achieved by coordinated carbonate electrolytes journal January 2019
Stabilizing a sodium-metal battery with the synergy effects of a sodiophilic matrix and fluorine-rich interface journal January 2019
A bifunctional auxiliary electrode for safe lithium metal batteries journal January 2019
Ordered lithiophilic sites to regulate Li plating/stripping behavior for superior lithium metal anodes journal January 2019
Separator-free and concentrated LiNO 3 electrolyte cells enable uniform lithium electrodeposition journal January 2020
A new approach to very high lithium salt content quasi-solid state electrolytes for lithium metal batteries using plastic crystals journal January 2019
Lithium metal stripping beneath the solid electrolyte interphase journal August 2018
Elastic and Li-ion–percolating hybrid membrane stabilizes Li metal plating journal November 2018
The intrinsic behavior of lithium fluoride in solid electrolyte interphases on lithium journal December 2019
How Metallic Protection Layers Extend the Lifetime of NASICON-Based Solid-State Lithium Batteries journal October 2019
On the Reliability of Sodium Metal Anodes: The Influence of Neglected Parameters journal January 2019
Lithium Mechanics: Roles of Strain Rate and Temperature and Implications for Lithium Metal Batteries journal January 2019
Analysis and Simulation of One-Dimensional Transport Models for Lithium Symmetric Cells journal January 2019
Mechanical Stress Induced Current Focusing and Fracture in Grain Boundaries journal January 2019
The Role of Cellulose Based Separator in Lithium Sulfur Batteries journal December 2018
Mechanism Explaining the Onset Time of Dendritic Lithium Electrodeposition via Considerations of the Li + Transport within the Solid Electrolyte Interphase journal January 2018
Impact of External Pressure and Electrolyte Transport Properties on Lithium Dendrite Growth journal January 2018
Hot Formation for Improved Low Temperature Cycling of Anode-Free Lithium Metal Batteries journal January 2019
Evaluating the Effects of Temperature and Pressure on Li/PEO-LiTFSI Interfacial Stability and Kinetics journal January 2018
In Situ Observation of Dendrite Behavior of Electrode in Half and Full Cells journal January 2019
Incorporating Dendrite Growth into Continuum Models of Electrolytes: Insights from NMR Measurements and Inverse Modeling journal January 2019
Evolution of Dead Lithium Growth in Lithium Metal Batteries: Experimentally Validated Model of the Apparent Capacity Loss journal January 2019
High Capacity Utilization of Li Metal Anodes by Application of Celgard Separator-Reinforced Ternary Polymer Electrolyte journal January 2019