Impact of Testing Method on Safety Assessment of Aged Li-Ion Cells: Part II – Aged Cells Without Li Plating

Preger, Yuliya; Feinauer, Max; Torres-Castro, Loraine; Hogrefe, Christin; Gray, Lucas Samuel; Gerosa, Gabriela; Langendorf, Jill Louise; Häfele, Samuel; Wittman, Reed Myers; Wörz, Michael; Rich, Chaz Anthony; Böse, Olaf; Hölzle, Markus; Johnson, Nathan Brenner; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, Margret; Waldmann, Thomas

doi:10.1149/1945-7111/adeed0

Impact of Testing Method on Safety Assessment of Aged Li-Ion Cells: Part II – Aged Cells Without Li Plating

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of The Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/adeed0· OSTI ID:2585618

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[1]; ^[2]; Gray, Lucas Samuel ^[1]; ^[2]; Langendorf, Jill Louise ^[1]; Häfele, Samuel ^[2]; ^[1]; Wörz, Michael ^[2]; Rich, Chaz Anthony ^[1]; Böse, Olaf ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[1]; ^[3]; ^[4]

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW), Ulm (Germany)
Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW), Ulm (Germany); Helmholtz Institite Ulm Electrochem Energy Storage (Germany)
Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW), Ulm (Germany); Helmholtz Institite Ulm Electrochem Energy Storage (Germany); Ulm University (Germany)

Understanding the safety profile of aged Li-ion batteries is essential for developing effective battery management and hazard mitigation strategies. However, most safety assessments have focused on fresh batteries, with just a few calorimetry studies on aged batteries with metal oxide positive electrodes. This study provides a broad assessment of commercial 18650-type Li-ion batteries with NCA, NMC, and LFP positive electrodes, both uncycled and aged under conditions that promoted solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth as the dominant degradation mechanism. The cells underwent mechanical (nail penetration, crush), electrical (overcharge, overdischarge), and thermal (accelerating rate calorimetry) abuse tests. Safety was rated on general characteristics such as mass loss, maximum temperature, and EUCAR (European Council for Automotive R&D) hazard level, as well as characteristics specific to individual abuse tests. Generally, aged cells with SEI growth exhibited similar or improved safety compared to uncycled cells, contrasting with our previous findings on NCA cells with Li plating as the dominant aging mechanism (Part I of this series). Yet, some tests and characteristics indicated reduced aged cell safety, such as earlier triggering of mechanical failure. These results emphasize the need to examine aged battery safety across diverse empirical techniques, degradation modes, and chemistries.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Electricity (OE)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 2585618

Report Number(s):: SAND--2025-10475J; 1772306

Journal Information:: Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of The Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 172; ISSN 1945-7111; ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:: The Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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