Breakthrough in battery technology: unraveling the mystery of electrolyte wetting in advanced lithium-ion batteries
Beijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd
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Unraveling mechanisms of electrolyte wetting process in three-dimensional electrode structures: Insights from realistic architectures
view moreCredit: GREEN ENERGY AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION
As the world transitions from fossil fuels to clean energy storage systems, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become increasingly vital across multiple industries. While larger battery structures offer promising solutions for enhanced energy density, they present significant challenges in electrolyte filling and wetting processes. Researchers from the Tsinghua University have now conducted groundbreaking research to understand the complex relationship between electrode microstructure and electrolyte wetting, addressing a critical bottleneck in battery manufacturing.
The study employed advanced X-ray computed tomography to reconstruct three-dimensional electrode structures, allowing researchers to evaluate key parameters affecting electrolyte wetting. Their findings reveal that manufacturing processes significantly impact wetting behavior through two primary mechanisms:
- Manufacturing Process Effects: Increasing calendering pressure and active material content reduces electrode porosity, which decreases permeability and penetration rate while enhancing capillary action. This creates a complex interplay that determines overall wetting effectiveness.
- Incomplete Wetting Causes: The research identified two primary factors behind incomplete electrolyte wetting: partial closure of pores during the calendering process that blocks electrolyte access, and non-wetting phase gases that become trapped within the electrolyte during wetting, hindering complete penetration.
The study provides quantitative assessments of permeability and capillary forces—critical factors that determine both the degree and rate of electrolyte wetting. These insights offer battery manufacturers concrete guidance for optimizing production processes to achieve more efficient and complete wetting, potentially reducing manufacturing costs while improving battery performance and longevity.
This research opens several promising avenues for battery technology advancement:
- Development of optimal geometric configurations for electrodes and separators during the wetting phase, enhancing battery structural design during manufacturing
- Creation of multi-scale, multi-physics numerical models to comprehensively examine various influencing mechanisms and their interactions
- Establishment of macro-scale process simulation models based on the micro-scale findings to accurately determine saturation immersion times, potentially reducing production costs
- Application of vibration inputs during the immersion process to facilitate the expulsion of trapped gases, thereby increasing actual electrolyte infiltration volume
This innovative research provides unprecedented insights into the complex mechanisms governing electrolyte wetting in lithium-ion batteries. By elucidating the relationship between manufacturing parameters, electrode microstructure, and wetting behavior, the study offers a scientific foundation for optimizing battery production processes. As the demand for high-energy-density batteries continues to grow in applications ranging from electric vehicles to renewable energy storage systems, these findings will play a crucial role in developing more efficient, higher-performing, and more reliable battery technologies to power our clean energy future.
Journal
Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Unraveling mechanisms of electrolyte wetting process in three-dimensional electrode structures: Insights from realistic architectures
Breakthrough in ultra-thin lithium metal anodes opens the era of longer-lasting batteries
DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)
A research team led by Professor Yu Jong-sung from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) has developed a technology that dramatically enhances the stability of ultra-thin metal anodes with a thickness of just 20μm. The team proposed a new method using electrolyte additives to address the issues of lifetime and safety that have hindered the commercialization of lithium metal batteries.
□ Lithium metal anodes (3,860 mAh g⁻¹) have over 10 times the capacity of widely used graphite anodes (372 mAh g⁻¹) and feature a low standard reduction potential, making them promising candidates for next-generation anode materials. However, during charge-discharge cycles, lithium tends to grow in dendritic forms, causing short circuits and thermal runaway, which lead to lifetime and safety issues. Moreover, due to volume expansion, the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) repeatedly degrades and reforms, leading to rapid electrolyte depletion.
□ The use of ultra-thin lithium metal with a thickness below 50μm is essential, especially for the commercialization of lithium metal batteries. However, such issues become more severe as thickness reduces. Accordingly, both academia and industry have focused on SEI engineering to enhance the stability of lithium metal anodes, among which SEI formation strategies using electrolyte additives have emerged as a simple yet effective approach.
□ Previous studies have shown that lithium fluoride (LiF) contributes to the enhanced stability of lithium (Li) metal anodes due to its high mechanical strength. More recently, silver (Ag) has also been reported to promote uniform lithium deposition through an alloy reaction with Li. However, no research has yet explored a single additive capable of simultaneously forming both Ag and LiF.
□ To this end, Professor Yu’s team introduced Silver Trifluoromethanesulfonate[1](AgCF₃SO₃, or AgTFMS) as an electrolyte additive to address dendrite formation and poor cycle life. Through various surface analyses, the team confirmed that using an AgTFMS-containing electrolyte leads to the simultaneous formation of Ag and LiF on the lithium metal surface. Based on this, they successfully enhanced the stability of ultra-thin (20μm) lithium metal anodes and experimentally verified that dendrite formation could be effectively suppressed and the battery life could be extended by more than seven times compared to the conventional system. Simultaneously, Professor Kang Jun-hee’s team at Pusan National University employed computational chemistry to analyze the interaction energy between Li and Ag, thereby elucidating the underlying mechanism for enhanced stability.
□ Professor Yu Jong-sung of DGIST stated, “This study focused on overcoming the limitations of ultra-thin lithium metal and significantly enhancing the stability of lithium metal batteries. By forming a high-performance SEI through a simple approach, we have developed a technology that improves both the lifetime and efficiency of lithium batteries. We expect that this advancement will accelerate the commercialization of lithium metal batteries as sustainable energy storage systems across various applications, including electric vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ships.”
□ This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Mid-Career Researcher Program (2024) and conducted jointly with Professor Kang Jun-hee’s team from the Department of Nanoenergy Engineering at Pusan National University. The findings (first author: Sung Jong-hun, Ph.D. candidate at DGIST; co-author: Lee Woon-hwan, M.S. student at Pusan National University) were published in the prestigious journal Advanced Energy Materials.
- Corresponding Author E-mail Address : jsyu@dgist.ac.kr
[1] Silver Trifluoromethanesulfonate: An inorganic compound composed of Ag and OTf⁻, the anion of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH). It is commonly used in organic synthesis as a strong nucleophile and Lewis acid catalyst, particularly in carbocation formation reactions and metal-catalyzed reactions.
Journal
Advanced Energy Materials
Article Title
Breakthrough in Ultra-Thin Lithium Metal Anodes Opens the Era of Longer-Lasting Batteries
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