Lithium Plating Simulations in Commercial Lithium-Ion Batteries during Low-Temperature Charging

Abstract

Fast charging of Li-ion cells is one of the main challenges in automotive battery applications. As a particular problem at low temperatures and high charging rates, lithium deposits as metal on the anode surface instead of intercalation. Capacity loss resulting from lithium plating is the main aging effect at low temperatures [1][2]. Moreover, the deposited Li can form dendritic deposits which are known to trigger internal short circuits when piercing through the battery separator [3]. In this work a micro-scale model [4] [5] was used to investigate the onset of lithium plating during charging at low temperatures in commercial lithium-ion batteries. The model was parameterized and validated with materials from NMC-Graphite commercial cells. The cells were opened in a glovebox with controlled argon atmosphere and the transport properties of the electrode materials at different temperatures were measured by Potentiostatic Intermittent Titration (PITT) and Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (GITT). The mean particle size, thickness and porosities were determined by SEM microscopy (Figure 1a). The model predictions of the onset temperature for lithium deposition on graphite electrodes were validated through experimental measurements on laboratory full cells. The reversible plating can be identified by the Li stripping plateau during discharge. Figure 2 shows the onset temperature (-10 °C) of lithium plating during CCCV charge at 1C. Irreversible plating on the graphite electrode was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The developed model is used to establish suitable operating conditions that avoid lithium plating in Li-ion batteries while maximizing charge rates and minimizing heating requirements. [1] V. Zinth, C. von Lüders, M. Hofmann, J. Hattendorff, I. Buchberger, S. Erhard, J. Rebelo-Kornmeier, A. Jossen, R. Gilles, J. Power Sources 271 (2014) 152–159. [2] C. Uhlmann, J. Illig, M. Ender, R. Schuster, E. Ivers-Tiffee, J. Power Sources 279 (2015) 428-438. [3] Z. Li, J. Huang, B. Yann Liaw, V. Metzler, J. Zhang, J. Power Sources 254 (2013) 168-182. [4] A. Latz, J. Zausch, J. Power Sources 196 (2011) 3296–3302. [5] G. B. Less, J. H. Seo, S. Han, A. M. Sastry, J. Zausch, A. Latz, S. Schmidt, C. Wieser, D. Kehrwald, S. Fell, J. Electrochem. Soc 159 (2012) A697-A704 Figure 1