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Title: Lithium metal protected by atomic layer deposition metal oxide for high performance anodes

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Chemistry. A
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA03116E· OSTI ID:1374715
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5]; ORCiD logo [4];  [4];  [4];  [6];  [7]; ORCiD logo [6]
  1. Illinois Inst. of Technology, Chicago, IL (United States). Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Energy System Division and Joint Center for Energy Storage Research
  2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Joint Center for Energy Storage Research and Materials Science Division
  3. Shanghai University (China). Shanghai University Materials Genome Institute and Shanghai Materials Genome Institute
  4. Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States). Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
  5. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Joint Center for Energy Storage Research; Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  6. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Energy System Division
  7. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States). Energy System Division and Joint Center for Energy Storage Research

We present that lithium metal is a highly desirable anode material for lithium batteries due to its extremely high theoretical capacity (3860 mA h g-1), low potential (-3.04 V versus standard hydrogen electrode), and low density (0.534 g cm-3). However, dendrite growth during cycling and low coulombic efficiency, resulting in safety hazards and fast battery fading, are huge barriers to commercialization. Herein, we used atomic layer deposition (ALD) to prepare conformal, ultrathin aluminum oxide coatings on lithium. We investigated the growth mechanism during Al2O3 ALD on lithium by in situ quartz crystal microbalance and found larger growth than expected during the initial cycles. We also discovered that the ALD Al2O3 enhances the wettability of the Li surface towards both carbonate and ether electrolytes, leading to uniform and dense SEI formation and reduced electrolyte consumption during battery operation. Scanning electron microscopy verified that the bare Li surfaces become rough and dendritic after electrochemical cycling, whereas the ALD Al2O3 coated Li surfaces remain smooth and uniform. Analysis of the Li surfaces after cycling using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ALD Al2O3 coating remains intact during electrochemical cycling, and that Li ions diffuse through the coating and deposit on the underlying Li. Coin cell testing demonstrated more than two times longer cycling life for the ALD Al2O3 protected Li, and a coulombic efficiency as high as ~98% at a practical current rate of 1 mA cm-2. More significantly, when the electrolyte volume was reduced from 20 to 5 μL, the stabilizing effect of the ALD coating became even more pronounced and the cycling life was around four times longer. Finally, these results indicate that ALD Al2O3 coatings are a promising strategy to stabilize Li anodes for high performance energy storage devices such as Li–S batteries.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1374715
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Chemistry. A, Vol. 5, Issue 24; ISSN 2050-7488
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 140 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Progress in Powder Coating Technology Using Atomic Layer Deposition journal July 2018
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Synergistic Effect of 3D Current Collectors and ALD Surface Modification for High Coulombic Efficiency Lithium Metal Anodes journal December 2018
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
Atomic and Molecular Layer Deposition for Superior Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Strategies, Performance, and Mechanisms journal May 2018
Advances in Artificial Layers for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes journal April 2020
Low-Weight 3D Al 2 O 3 Network as an Artificial Layer to Stabilize Lithium Deposition journal August 2018
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Towards high rate Li metal anodes: enhanced performance at high current density in a superconcentrated ionic liquid journal January 2020
Lithium Mechanics: Roles of Strain Rate and Temperature and Implications for Lithium Metal Batteries journal January 2019
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Atomic and Molecular Layer Deposition for Superior Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Strategies, Performance, and Mechanisms journal June 2018
Synergistic Effect of 3D Current Collectors and ALD Surface Modification for High Coulombic Efficiency Lithium Metal Anodes journal September 2019