Lithium Anode Interface Modification Using Inorganic Materials

G. LUQUE; BRACAMONTE M. V; A. CALDERON; M. ZOLOFF; G. PEÑARANDA; F. EROLES; COMETTO, FERNANDO; B. SUAREZ RAMANZIN; M. ZAMPERI; S. MALDONADO; F. LOBO MAZA; L. MOREL; F. VACA CHAVEZ; BARRACO, DANIEL E.; E. LEIVA

Congreso; ISE Regional Meeting; 2022

International Society of Electrochemistry

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are currently the most widely used rechargeable batteries due to their high specific capacity, small size and varied shapes. LIBs also have an excellent and reliable electrochemical performance, and are especially adapted to consumer applications in the electronics industry. However, these batteries cannot achieve the specific energy needed for a range of portable devices, electric vehicles and large scale energy storage. Thus, lithium metal rechargeable batteries (LMB) emerge as possibility since they could break through the desired energy density with the potential to double the energy density of LIBs.Nevertheless, the direct use of lithium metal in commercial batteries present significant challenges that includes the uncontrollable deposition / dissolution of Li causing the formation and growth of Li dendrites during repeated charge / discharge processes that induce a series of thorny problems, such as possible battery short circuits and the low Coulombic efficiency resulting from the high reactivity of the Li metal towards the electrolyte solvents and the salt anions. The solid-electrolyte interface (SEI), a surface passivation layer, which is formed by the reaction of metallic lithium with electrolyte, is one of the most important factors affecting the morphology of the deposited lithium and the coulombic efficiency. To try to solve the problems inherent in the use of metallic lithium as an anode, different strategies have emerged, including that of using an artificial SEI on metallic Li in order to have a controlled interface between the anode and the electrolyte.In this presentation we will discuss the results obtained using different inorganic materials based on nitrides to modify the surface of metallic lithium anode and its effect on the regulation of dendrite formation. We will also present the result of ab initio studies in order to understand the type of interactions that take place between the nitrides and lithium.