Thursday, 13 October 2022: 08:00
Room 303 (The Hilton Atlanta)
Lithium metal battery (LMB) is widely-regarded as the next generation energy storage device for its high anode specific energy density (3860 Ah kg-1). However, the stable long-term operation of LMB is hindered by the unstable deposition process of Li+. Specifically, Li reacts with the electrolyte to form an inhomogeneous solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. This surface inhomogeneity is further amplified during electrochemical cycling, leading to dendritic deposition of Li, capacity fading, and even battery shorting and failure.
My talk will focus on designing poly (ionic liquid) materials to address this interfacial instability. I will introduce a cation-tethered viscoelastic polymer layer that responds to the local electric field environment at the Li metal anode, and repels incoming Li+ away from surface protrusions. I will also demonstrate how this layer increases lithium deposition size and improved battery cycle life.