Researchers develop 3D imaging technique to understand how dendrites
form in batteries
Process could help manufacturers make batteries more efficient
Date:
February 24, 2022
Source:
University of Houston
Summary:
As the world lessens its dependence on fossil fuels, industries
and manufacturers are turning to lithium-ion batteries to power
the machines that make modern life possible. These batteries power
electric vehicles, mobile phones, drones, vacuum cleaning robots
and other machines and will be an essential component to the energy
transition. But there's a problem with lithium-ion batteries:
as they age and are charged, they develop dendrites. A research
team is trying to solve the dendrite problem by investigating how
these structures grow on batteries. Dendrites are spiky structures
that accumulate on the batteries' anodes. These structures reduce
the life of the batteries, hinder their ability to hold a charge
and can short-circuit machines potentially causing safety hazards
like battery fires.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
As the world lessens its dependence on fossil fuels, industries and manufacturers are turning to lithium-ion batteries to power the machines
that make modern life possible. These batteries power electric vehicles,
mobile phones, drones, vacuum cleaning robots and other machines and
will be an essential component to the energy transition.
==========================================================================
But there's a problem with lithium-ion batteries: as they age and are
charged, they develop dendrites. A research team from the University
of Houston is trying to solve the dendrite problem by investigating how
these structures grow on batteries. Dendrites are spiky structures that accumulate on the batteries' anodes. These structures reduce the life of
the batteries, hinder their ability to hold a charge and can short-circuit machines potentially causing safety hazards like battery fires.
"By understanding how dendrites grow on batteries, we can identify
chemical and physical solutions to prevent the growth of dendrites,
which is necessary to develop the next generation of batteries," said
Xiaonan Shan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
at UH's Cullen College of Engineering.
Shan and his team have developed a "novel in-situ" 3D microscopy to image
and study the localized electrochemical environments and understand where dendrites start forming in batteries. Using the 3D microscope, small
cameras and other computer imaging technology, Shan and his team were
able to geometrically map out how a battery initially develops dendrites.
The findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Energy
Materials.
"This is significant because most battery researchers traditionally use electrochemical measurements to measure the entire surface or interior
battery, so they don't know what happens inside the battery," said Shan,
who is a corresponding author on the paper. Electrical and computer
engineering graduate student Guangxia Feng is the lead author. Most
battery companies focus on the materials part of developing batteries,
so new materials emphasize performance, he added.
"With this process, manufacturers can theoretically make better
performing batteries by focusing on the structural design of batteries
that discourages the growth of dendrites," Shan noted. "And in the
next step, we will use this technique to design highly efficient Zn (zinc-carbon) batteries." Authors joining Shan and Feng on the paper
are Jiaming Guo, Yaping Shi, Xiaoliang, Xu Yang and David Mayerich,
all of the UH Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and
Huajun Tian, Zho Li and Yang Yang, University of Central Florida.
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Houston. Original
written by Karn Dhingra.
Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Guangxia Feng, Jiaming Guo, Huajun Tian, Zhao Li, Yaping Shi,
Xiaoliang
Li, Xu Yang, David Mayerich, Yang Yang, Xiaonan Shan. Probe the
Localized Electrochemical Environment Effects and Electrode Reaction
Dynamics for Metal Batteries using In Situ 3D Microscopy. Advanced
Energy Materials, 2021; 12 (3): 2103484 DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202103484 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220224145945.htm
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