Gas induced formation of inactive Li in rechargeable lithium metal batteries

Yuxuan Xiang, Mingming Tao, Xiaoxuan Chen, Peizhao Shan, Danhui Zhao, Jue Wu, Min Lin, Xiangsi Liu, Huajin He, Weimin Zhao, Yonggang Hu, Junning Chen, Yuexing Wang and Yong Yang ()
Additional contact information
Yuxuan Xiang: Xiamen University
Mingming Tao: Xiamen University
Xiaoxuan Chen: Xiamen University
Peizhao Shan: Xiamen University
Danhui Zhao: Xiamen University
Jue Wu: Xiamen University
Min Lin: Xiamen University
Xiangsi Liu: Xiamen University
Huajin He: Xiamen University
Weimin Zhao: Binzhou University
Yonggang Hu: Xiamen University
Junning Chen: Xiamen University
Yuexing Wang: China Academy of Engineering Physics
Yong Yang: Xiamen University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The formation of inactive lithium by side reactions with liquid electrolyte contributes to cell failure of lithium metal batteries. To inhibit the formation and growth of inactive lithium, further understanding of the formation mechanisms and composition of inactive lithium are needed. Here we study the impact of gas producing reactions on the formation of inactive lithium using ethylene carbonate as a case study. Ethylene carbonate is a common electrolyte component used with graphite-based anodes but is incompatible with Li metal anodes. Using mass spectrometry titrations combined with 13C and 2H isotopic labeling, we reveal that ethylene carbonate decomposition continuously releases ethylene gas, which further reacts with lithium metal to form the electrochemically inactive species LiH and Li2C2. In addition, phase-field simulations suggest the non-ionically conducting gaseous species could result in an uneven distribution of lithium ions, detrimentally enhancing the formation of dendrites and dead Li. By optimizing the electrolyte composition, we selectively suppress the formation of ethylene gas to limit the formation of LiH and Li2C2 for both Li metal and graphite-based anodes.

Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35779-0 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-35779-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35779-0

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().