A new computational model from UW-Madison sheds light on the damaging process of lithium plating in fast-charging batteries.
A researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a groundbreaking computational model that provides new insights into the causes of lithium-ion battery failure.“Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, powering everything from cellphones and laptops to electric vehicles.
They’re also notorious for overheating or catching fire,” said the university in a press release.Assistant Professor Weiyu Li has created a model that elucidates the phenomenon of lithium plating. This is a key factor in the overheating and potential fires associated with fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.Lithium plating occurs when metallic lithium builds up on the surface of a battery’s anode during rapid charging.“The mechanisms that trigger lithium plating, until now, have not been well understood,” added the press release.Lithium plating accelerates battery degradationLithium-ion batteries’ ability to charge quickly is a significant advantage. However, the propensity for these batteries to overheat or even catch fire during rapid charging has raised safety concerns.Lithium plating is a major contributing factor to these issues, as it can lead to short circuits and accelerated battery degradation.“Lithium plating is a major challenge limiting the adoption of fast-charging Li-ion batteries,” asserted the researcher in a new study.However, Professor Li’s innovative model has successfully captured the intricate interplay between ion transport and electrochemical reactions that drive this process within a graphite anode, a common material in lithium-ion batteries.“Using this model, I was able to establish relationships between key factors, such as operating conditions and material properties, and the onset of lithium plating,” explained Professor Li. “From these results, I created a diagram that provides physics-based guidance on strategies to mitigate plating. The diagram makes these findings very accessible, and researchers can harness the results without needing to perform any additional simulations.”Introducing Li-plating diagramUnlike previous studies that primarily focused on extreme conditions, Professor Li’s model allows for the investigation of lithium plating across a much broader spectrum of operating parameters.“We derive an analytical expression that relates Li-plating onset time to operating conditions and material properties and introduce a Li-plating diagram,” highlighted the study.This comprehensive approach provides a more complete understanding of the phenomenon and its triggers. It offers valuable guidance for designing both advanced battery materials and, crucially, optimized charging protocols. “This knowledge could lead to fast-charging lithium-ion batteries that are safer and longer-lasting,” remarked the press release.“Researchers can use Li’s results to design not only the best battery materials—but importantly, charging protocols that extend battery life.”Advances in lithium-ion battery technologyLooking ahead, Professor Li intends to further refine her model by incorporating mechanical factors, such as stress generation within the battery components, to explore their potential influence on lithium plating.“This physics-based guidance is valuable because it enables us to determine the optimal way to adjust the current densities during charging, based on the state of charge and the material properties, to avoid lithium plating,” concluded Professor Li.Li’s findings were published in the journal ACS Energy Letters.Meanwhile, the growing demand for electric vehicles has also necessitated improvements in the working of lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, several developments are occurring in this space. Recently, a team of scientists in the US discovered an imaging technique that allows them to peer inside a working battery.
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