Title: Comparing Experimental Measurements of Limiting Current in Polymer Electrolytes with Theoretical Predictions

Abstract

The limiting current is an important transport property of an electrolyte as it provides an upper bound on how fast a cell can be charged or discharged. We have measured the limiting current in lithium-lithium symmetric cells with a standard polymer electrolyte, a mixture of poly(ethylene oxide) and lithium bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide salt at 90°C. The cells were polarized with increasing current density. The steady-state cell potential was a smooth function of current density until the limiting current was exceeded. An abrupt increase in cell potential was taken as an experimental signature of the limiting current. The electrolyte mixture was fully characterized using electrochemical methods to determine the conductivity, salt diffusion coefficient, cation transference number, and thermodynamic factor as a function of salt concentration. We used Newman’s concentrated solution theory to predict both cell potential and salt concentration profiles as functions of position in the cell at the experimentally applied current density. The theoretical limiting current was taken to be the current at which the calculated salt concentration at the cathode was zero. We see quantitative agreement between experimental measurements and theoretical predictions for the limiting current. This agreement is obtained without resorting to any adjustable parameters.

Authors:

Gribble, Daniel A. ;

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Frenck, Louise ;

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Shah, Deep B. ;

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7816-031X"
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Maslyn, Jacqueline A. ;

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-6481-2070"
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Loo, Whitney S. ;

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Mongcopa, Katrina Irene S. ;

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-5393-6871"
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Pesko, Danielle M.; Balsara, Nitash P.

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-0106-5565"
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Publication Date:

2019-09-24

Research Org.:

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V)

OSTI Identifier:

1566203

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1605225

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC02-05CH11231

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Journal of the Electrochemical Society

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Volume: 166 Journal Issue: 14; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:

IOP Publishing - The Electrochemical Society

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

25 ENERGY STORAGE