Structural Analysis of Solid Electrolyte Lithium Batteries

PROJECT NUMBER: 25

AUTHOR: Olivia Bird, Chemistry | MENTOR: Svitlana Pylypenko, Chemistry

ABSTRACT

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Lithium metal batteries with solid electrolytes are often considered a potential “next generation” battery. They have potential for a far voltage window than traditional lithium-ion batteries, and are also significantly safer. This makes them of interest for a variety of industries, especially renewable energy storage and electric vehicles. However, these batteries are not commercially viable in their present form due to a variety of failures, one of the key failure mechanisms being the growth of lithium dendrites from the electrode into the electrolyte. This causes decomposition of the electrolyte and even short circuits in severe cases. This project used x-ray tomography scans at various points of cycling in order to analyze how lithium moves over time and what conditions affect the growth of these failure causing dendrites. The data shows that dendrites grow mostly by filling and expanding existing cracks and defects in the electrolyte, rather than creating new cracks. It was also found that the growth was often concentrated in localized regions, rather than spread evenly throughout the cell. The project also experimented with and utilized machine learning to automate the identification of lithium, thus increasing both the repeatability and efficiency of both the present and future research.

VISUAL PRESENTATION

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

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Olivia Bird is a junior undergraduate at the Colorado School of Mines. She is studying chemistry with a minor in renewable energy. She has been working with Professor Svitlana Pylypenko and Natalie Sietzman on the solid electrolyte batteries project since her freshman year, and intends to continue to do so in her senior year. She is passionate about the project and the impact they could have on future battery and energy technology.

Sponsored by Phillips 66