Stress-driven lithium dendrite growth mechanism and dendrite mitigation by electroplating on soft substrates

Xu Wang, Wei Zeng, Liang Hong, Wenwen Xu, Haokai Yang, Fan Wang, Huigao Duan, Ming Tang, Hanqing Jiang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

339 Scopus citations

Abstract

Problems related to dendrite growth on lithium-metal anodes such as capacity loss and short circuit present major barriers to next-generation high-energy-density batteries. The development of successful lithium dendrite mitigation strategies is impeded by an incomplete understanding of the Li dendrite growth mechanisms, and in particular, Li-plating-induced internal stress in Li metal and its effect on Li growth morphology are not well addressed. Here, we reveal the enabling role of plating residual stress in dendrite formation through depositing Li on soft substrates and a stress-driven dendrite growth model. We show that dendrite growth is mitigated on such soft substrates through surface-wrinkling-induced stress relaxation in the deposited Li film. We demonstrate that this dendrite mitigation mechanism can be utilized synergistically with other existing approaches in the form of three-dimensional soft scaffolds for Li plating, which achieves higher coulombic efficiency and better capacity retention than that for conventional copper substrates.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)227-235
Number of pages9
JournalNature Energy
Volume3
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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