In situ optical microscopy investigations of lithium and sodium film formation in buffered room temperature molten salts

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1836956· OSTI ID:367752

Fuller, J; Carlin, R T ^[1]; Osteryoung, R A ^[2]

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1. Covalent Associates, Incorporated, Woburn, MA (United States)
2. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

Previous work performed in both sodium and lithium buffered chloroaluminate molten salts have shown that the addition of small amounts of SOCl{sub 2} promotes the reversible stripping behavior of lithium and sodium metal with cycling efficiencies between 80 and 90%. The authors have performed a series of optical studies in conjunction with electrochemical experiments at varying SOCl{sub 2} concentrations in both lithium and sodium chloride buffered melts. On investigation, the lithium deposit is dendritic in nature and does not form a uniform film on the tungsten electrode. After discharging at moderate current densities, disconnected lithium metal is observed at the electrode surface. In contrast, the sodium deposits as a uniform, flat film on the tungsten electrode with little or no dendritic growth. The sodium electrodeposits undergo complete stripping from the tungsten electrode without dendritic or disconnected sodium metal left on the electrode surface.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 367752
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 143; ISSN 0013-4651; ISSN JESOAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
ANODES
BATTERY CHARGING
DEPOSITION
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
LITHIUM CHLORIDES
LITHIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
MOLTEN SALTS
PASSIVATION
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
THIONYL CHLORIDES
VOLTAGE DROP