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Title: First-Principles Analysis of Defect Thermodynamics and Ion Transport in Inorganic SEI Compounds: LiF and NaF

Journal Article · · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [1]
  1. Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
  2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

The formation mechanism and composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in lithium ion batteries has been widely explored. However, relatively little is known about the function of the SEI as a transport medium. Such critical information is directly relevant to battery rate performance, power loss, and capacity fading. To partially bridge this gap in the case of inorganic SEI compounds, we report herein the results of first-principles calculations on the defect thermodynamics, the dominant diffusion carriers, and the diffusion pathways associated with crystalline LiF and NaF, which are stable components of the SEI in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries, respectively. The thermodynamics of common point defects are computed, and the dominant diffusion carriers are determined over a voltage range of 0–4 V, corresponding to conditions relevant to both anode and cathode SEI’s. Our analyses reveal that for both compounds, vacancy defects are energetically more favorable, therefore form more readily than interstitials, due to the close-packed nature of the crystal structures. However, the vacancy concentrations are very small for the diffusion processes facilitated by defects. Ionic conductivities are calculated as a function of voltage, considering the diffusion carrier concentration and the diffusion barriers as determined by nudged elastic band calculations. These conductivities are more than ten orders of magnitude smaller in NaF than in LiF. As compared to the diffusivity of Li in other common inorganic SEI compounds, such as Li2CO3 and Li2O, the cation diffusivity in LiF and NaF is quite low, with at least three orders of magnitude lower ionic conductivities. Furthermore, the results quantify the extent to which fluorides pose rate limitations in Li and Na batteries.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Electrical Energy Storage (CEES)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1370674
Journal Information:
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 7, Issue 34; Related Information: CEES partners with Argonne National Laboratory (lead); University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Northwest University; ISSN 1944-8244
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 165 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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An Armored Mixed Conductor Interphase on a Dendrite-Free Lithium-Metal Anode journal September 2018
Electrolytes and Electrolyte/Electrode Interfaces in Sodium‐Ion Batteries: From Scientific Research to Practical Application journal March 2019
Sodium-Ion Battery Electrolytes: Modeling and Simulations journal February 2018
Rational Method for Improving the Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Coating the Separator with Lithium Fluoride journal April 2017
Effect of Residual Lithium Rearrangement on Ni-rich Layered Oxide Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries journal June 2018
Electrolytes, SEI Formation, and Binders: A Review of Nonelectrode Factors for Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes journal January 2018
Review on modeling of the anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) for lithium-ion batteries journal March 2018
Advances in sodium secondary batteries utilizing ionic liquid electrolytes journal January 2019
The intrinsic behavior of lithium fluoride in solid electrolyte interphases on lithium journal December 2019
Ion Diffusivity through the Solid Electrolyte Interphase in Lithium-Ion Batteries journal January 2017
Simulations of a LiF Solid Electrolyte Interphase Cracking on Silicon Anodes Using Molecular Dynamics journal January 2018
SEI Composition on Hard Carbon in Na-Ion Batteries After Long Cycling: Influence of Salts (NaPF 6 , NaTFSI) and Additives (FEC, DMCF) journal January 2020