Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation

Wang, Hsin; Watkins, Thomas R.; Simunovic, Srdjan; Bingham, Philip R.; Allu, Srikanth; Turner, John A.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.068

Title: Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation

Abstract

Large, areal, brittle fracture of copper current collector foils was observed by 3D x-ray computed tomography (XCT) of a spherically indented Li-ion cell. This fracture was hidden and non-catastrophic to a degree because the graphite layers deformed plastically, and held the materials together so that the cracks in the foils could not be seen under optical and electron microscopy. 3D XCT on the indented cell showed “mud cracks” within the copper layer. The cracking of copper foils could not be immediately confirmed when the cell was opened for post-mortem examination. However, an X-ray radiograph on a single foil of the Cu anode showed clearly that the copper foil had broken into multiple pieces similar to the brittle cracking of a ceramic under indentation. This new failure mode of anodes on Li-ion cell has very important implications on the behavior of Li-ion cells under mechanical abuse conditions. Furthermore, the fragmentation of current collectors in the anode must be taken into consideration for the electrochemical responses which may lead to capacity loss and affect thermal runaway behavior of the cells.

Authors:

^[1];

^[1]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:: Tue Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1399993

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1549783

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; VT1201 21105

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Power Sources

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 364; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 25 ENERGY STORAGE; X-ray tomography; Li-ion battery; Spherical indentation; Internal short circuit; Fragmentation

Citation Formats


                    Wang, Hsin, Watkins, Thomas R., Simunovic, Srdjan, Bingham, Philip R., Allu, Srikanth, and Turner, John A. Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.068.

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                    Wang, Hsin, Watkins, Thomas R., Simunovic, Srdjan, Bingham, Philip R., Allu, Srikanth, & Turner, John A. Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.068

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                    Wang, Hsin, Watkins, Thomas R., Simunovic, Srdjan, Bingham, Philip R., Allu, Srikanth, and Turner, John A. Tue .  
"Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.068.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1399993.

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@article{osti_1399993,

  title        = {Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation},

  author       = {Wang, Hsin and Watkins, Thomas R. and Simunovic, Srdjan and Bingham, Philip R. and Allu, Srikanth and Turner, John A.},

  abstractNote = {Large, areal, brittle fracture of copper current collector foils was observed by 3D x-ray computed tomography (XCT) of a spherically indented Li-ion cell. This fracture was hidden and non-catastrophic to a degree because the graphite layers deformed plastically, and held the materials together so that the cracks in the foils could not be seen under optical and electron microscopy. 3D XCT on the indented cell showed “mud cracks” within the copper layer. The cracking of copper foils could not be immediately confirmed when the cell was opened for post-mortem examination. However, an X-ray radiograph on a single foil of the Cu anode showed clearly that the copper foil had broken into multiple pieces similar to the brittle cracking of a ceramic under indentation. This new failure mode of anodes on Li-ion cell has very important implications on the behavior of Li-ion cells under mechanical abuse conditions. Furthermore, the fragmentation of current collectors in the anode must be taken into consideration for the electrochemical responses which may lead to capacity loss and affect thermal runaway behavior of the cells.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.08.068},

  journal      = {Journal of Power Sources},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 364,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2017},

  month        = {Tue Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2017}

}

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Evaluation of mechanical abuse techniques in lithium ion batteries
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Works referencing / citing this record:

The indentation analysis triggering internal short circuit of lithium-ion pouch battery based on shape function theory
journal, May 2018

Hao, Wenqian; Xie, Jiamiao; Wang, Fenghui
International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 42, Issue 11
DOI: 10.1002/er.4109

Resistance exterior force property of lithium‐ion pouch batteries with different positive materials
journal, May 2019

Hao, Wen‐qian; Xie, Jia‐miao; Bo, Xi‐qiao
International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 43, Issue 9
DOI: 10.1002/er.4588

Analysis of Manufacturing-Induced Defects and Structural Deformations in Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Computed Tomography
journal, April 2018

Wu, Yi; Saxena, Saurabh; Xing, Yinjiao
Energies, Vol. 11, Issue 4
DOI: 10.3390/en11040925

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Title: Fragmentation of copper current collectors in Li-ion batteries during spherical indentation

Abstract

Citation Formats

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