Underpotential lithium plating on graphite anodes caused by temperature heterogeneity
Hansen Wang, Hansen Wang, Yangying Zhu, Sang Cheol Kim, Allen Pei, Yanbin Li, David Boyle, Hongxia Wang, Hongxia Wang, Zewen Zhang, Yusheng Ye, William Huang, Yayuan Liu, Jinwei Xu, Jun Li, Fang Liu, Yi Cui
Abstract
Significance Metallic lithium plating on the graphite anode is a predominant cause for capacity decays during the fast charging of lithium-ion batteries. This work studies the lithium-plating phenomenon in a previously neglected thermodynamic perspective, taking into account practical temperature distributions within batteries. We show that elevated temperatures could enhance the equilibrium potential of Li 0 /Li + , making local lithium plating more thermodynamically favorable. Furthermore, lithium-plating patterns are correlated with temperature heterogeneities, confirming the preferential lithium plating at high-temperature regions due to both kinetic and thermodynamic origins. These findings provide possible explanations of the heterogeneous lithium-plating morphology, deepen the understandings on the lithium plating phenomenon, and will guide future strategies to realize the extreme fast charging of lithium-ion batteries.