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Mechanism of Lithium Metal Penetration through Inorganic Solid Electrolytes
Author(s) -
Porz Lukas,
Swamy Tushar,
Sheldon Brian W.,
Rettenwander Daniel,
Frömling Till,
Thaman Henry L.,
Berendts Stefan,
Uecker Reinhard,
Carter W. Craig,
Chiang YetMing
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201701003
Subject(s) - materials science , electrolyte , crystallite , plating (geology) , anode , amorphous solid , composite material , fast ion conductor , current collector , current density , short circuit , metal , lithium metal , chemical engineering , metallurgy , voltage , electrode , crystallography , chemistry , electrical engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , geophysics , geology
Li deposition is observed and measured on a solid electrolyte in the vicinity of a metallic current collector. Four types of ion‐conducting, inorganic solid electrolytes are tested: Amorphous 70/30 mol% Li 2 S‐P 2 S 5 , polycrystalline β‐Li 3 PS 4 , and polycrystalline and single‐crystalline Li 6 La 3 ZrTaO 12 garnet. The nature of lithium plating depends on the proximity of the current collector to defects such as surface cracks and on the current density. Lithium plating penetrates/infiltrates at defects, but only above a critical current density. Eventually, infiltration results in a short circuit between the current collector and the Li‐source (anode). These results do not depend on the electrolytes shear modulus and are thus not consistent with the Monroe–Newman model for “dendrites.” The observations suggest that Li‐plating in pre‐existing flaws produces crack‐tip stresses which drive crack propagation, and an electrochemomechanical model of plating‐induced Li infiltration is proposed. Lithium short‐circuits through solid electrolytes occurs through a fundamentally different process than through liquid electrolytes. The onset of Li infiltration depends on solid‐state electrolyte surface morphology, in particular the defect size and density.