Detecting the Onset of Lithium Plating and Monitoring Fast Charging Performance with Voltage Relaxation

Abstract

A key challenge for energy storage and conversion technologies is finding simple, reliable methods that can identify device failure and prolong lifetime. Lithium plating is a well-known degradation process that prevents Li-ion battery fast charging, which is essential to reduce electric vehicle “range anxiety” and enable emerging technologies such as aerial drones and high-performance portable electronics. The ability to detect the initial onset of lithium plating from easily accessible voltage measurements would greatly improve battery safety and feedback controls modeling. In this work, we highlight the application of a differential open-circuit voltage analysis (dOCV) to detect when Li plating begins during a single charge for room-temperature fast charging. We also show that dOCV can identify the Li plating onset during cycling with sensitivity of 4 mAh plated Li per gram graphite, indicating that this method has commercial promise for online Li detection.

Observation of lithium stripping in super-concentrated electrolyte at potentials lower than regular Li stripping

“…OCV monitoring is a practical in situ Li plating detection method to examine the onset of Li plating and fast charging on a graphite anode in conventional Li-ion batteries. 34,35 Uhlmann et al rst reported a characteristic OCV prole aer charging; two potential plateaus for the plated Li and lithiated graphite (Li x C 6 ). 36 Schindler et al proposed a Li detection technique using the potential decay curve as a voltage derivative.…”

Research Progress of Lithium Plating on Graphite Anode in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

“…However, fast charge can cause Li plating and then induce the formation of Li dendrite, which may trigger safety issues. [ 39‐42 ] Konz recently studied the effect of different charge rates of 2 C, 3 C and 4 C on the Li plating occurrence of LIBs with graphite, [ 43 ] and highlighted the application of a differential open‐circuit voltage analysis (dOCV) to detect when Li plating began during a single charge for room‐temperature fast charging. The result revealed that Li plating could be observed at the beginning of 75%, 50% and 25% SOC during charging process for 2 C, 3 C and 4 C charge rate, respectively, showing that high charge rate facilitates Li plating.…”

“…After fast charging to certain SOC, the dOCV profiles show an inflection point feature of onset of lithium plating. Reproduced with permission from Ref [43], Copyright 2020, American Chemical Society.…”

“…To summarize the above mentioned detecting approaches of Li plating, voltage profiles during charge/discharge [ 55‐56 ] and relaxation [ 28,43‐44,57 ] processes are the main electrochemical characteristics of Li plating, and some physical characterization techniques have been applied to detect Li plating, such as scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), [ 16,58‐61 ] nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) [ 28,62 ] and neutron diffraction. [ 44‐45 ] The SEM images of Li plating on graphite anode are represented in Refs [61] and [63].…”

Enabling 6C Fast Charging of Li‐Ion Batteries with Graphite/Hard Carbon Hybrid Anodes

“…The formation of metallic Li on graphite anode surface has been shown to cause irreversible loss of Li inventory, leading to significant cell capacity fading. [ 3,14,15 ]…”