When lithium-ion batteries are charged too quickly, metallic lithium gets deposited on the anodes. This reduces battery capacity and lifespan and can even destroy the batteries. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Forschungszentrum Jülich have now presented a process that, for the first time ever, allows this so-called lithium plating process to be investigated directly. This puts new strategies for quick-charging strategies close at hand.
Lithium plating, the depositing of metallic lithium at the anodes of lithium-ion batteries, is one of the primary factors that limits charging current. The performance of batteries suffers significantly from these metallic deposits. ...