Researchers state that this work could help create safer, longer-lasting batteries for electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage.
A new, simple method has been designed to measure lithium metal batteries ’ performance accurately.It depends on a common imaging tool, scanning electron microscop y, and an algorithm. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego state that this work could help create safer, longer-lasting batteries for electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage.
Overcoming the existing challenge A major hurdle for using lithium metal batteries more widely is a problem with “lithium morphology”—how lithium deposits on the electrodes as the battery charges and discharges.Uniform lithium deposition is key to prolonged battery lifespan.However, the uneven lithium deposits can lead to the formation of dangerous spikes called dendrites. They can pierce the battery’s separator, causing it to short-circuit and fail. It’s a major roadblock to making these batteries a reality.Scanning electron microscopy image. Credit: Jenny Nicolas et al.For a long time, researchers judged the uniformity of lithium deposits by looking at microscope images.This practice has resulted in inconsistencies across different laboratories, making it difficult to compare research findings and hindering collaborative progress in the field.“What one battery group may define as uniform might be different from another group’s definition,” the study’s first author, Jenny Nicolas, said.“The battery literature also uses so many different qualitative words to describe lithium morphology—words like chunky, mossy, whisker-like and globular, for example. We saw a need to create a common language to define and measure lithium uniformity,” explained Nicolas, a materials science and engineering Ph.D. candidate at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.Now, researchers have found a solution. The team has developed a simple, powerful algorithm that takes an image from a widely used tool—the scanning electron microscope —and turns it into a concrete measurement. They call it the Index of Dispersion, or ID.SEM provides detailed, two-dimensional images of a battery electrode’s three-dimensional surface.ID scores based on performance In this technique, researchers begin by taking SEM images of a battery electrode. They convert these images into black and white pixels, where the white pixels show the active lithium deposits. An algorithm then divides the image into sections, counts the white pixels in each section, and uses that data to calculate a score index of dispersion.“The index of dispersion is a measure of lithium uniformity,” Nicolas explained. The author added, “The closer it is to zero, the more uniform the lithium deposits. A higher value means less uniformity and more clustering of lithium particles in certain areas.”The research team first confirmed their method’s accuracy by testing it on over 2,000 computer-generated mages, where the calculated ID scores matched the known data. The researchers validated their method and found that as batteries degraded, their ID increased. In a degrading battery, the researchers observed two key signs of trouble. First, the energy needed to deposit lithium increased. Second, they noticed consistent peaks and dips in the ID score right before a battery failed, suggesting these fluctuations could be an early warning sign for short circuits.The team says the method is highly accessible because SEM imaging is already a standard tool in battery researchThe new tool gives researchers a consistent way to measure and compare battery performance. The findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Energy &Amp Environment Index Of Dispersion Inventions And Machines Lithium Metal Batteries Scanning Electron Microscop
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Harvard under investigation over participation in visa program for foreign students and researchersThe State Department says it's investigating whether Harvard University will remain part of a government program that allows foreign nationals to take part in cultural and education exchange programs.
Read more »
Healthy Returns: Researchers move closer to a universal cancer vaccineUniversity of Florida researchers said a new study could lead to a universal cancer shot, while digital health earnings season is approaching.
Read more »
Harvard under investigation over participation in visa program for foreign students and researchersBOSTON (AP) — In the latest in series of Trump administration inquiries targeting Harvard University, the State Department said Wednesday it is investigating
Read more »
Harvard under investigation over participation in visa program for foreign students and researchersThe State Department says it's investigating whether Harvard University will remain part of a government program that allows foreign nationals to take part in cultural and education exchange programs.
Read more »
Did UC San Diego researchers just help solve global malaria problem?Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth. In 2023 alone, they infected 263 million people with malaria, resulting in nearly 600,000 deaths — 80% of them…
Read more »
Northwestern University researchers develop tool to measure communities' vulnerability to heatThe researchers have been tracking the heat, and the way it impacts parts of the city differently, in a brand-new way that could ultimately provide relief for some Chicagoans.
Read more »