Scientists at the Kenbuk Tag and Tegist Tag (DGIST) Institute have taken an important step towards increasing the stability of lithium-metallic anodes, which is an important component for the development of more efficient and durable lithium batteries. They have developed a method that can significantly increase the life and safety of lithium-metal batteries that have long become the object of research because of their stability problems.
Researchers have used a new electrolyte additive-three-methormethane sulfonate of silver (Agcf₃so₃ or AgtfMS), which allows to form two protective layers on the surface of the lithium-metallic anode: silver and lithium fluoride (LIF). This two-layer protection effectively suppresses the growth of lithium dendrites-microscopic finger structures that can cause short circuits and thermal acceleration during charge-discharge cycles. Lithium dendrites occur due to uneven lithium deposition, which usually causes problems with the safety and battery life. The problem is increasing especially in the use of supra-thin lithium-metallic anodes, the thickness of which is less than 50 microns, which is critical for commercial use of lithium batteries in the future. In a new study, the team focused on stabilizing the anodes with a thickness of only 20 microns, where the problems of instability are the most acute. Scientists have confirmed that the use of AGTFMS has made it possible to significantly reduce the formation of dendrites and improve the stability of batteries. Experimental results have shown that the use of this supplement can increase the life of batteries more than 7 times compared to conventional systems. This breakthrough allows you to hope for the creation of more durable and safe lithium batteries, which will be especially important for industries such as electric vehicles and modern electronic devices that require a high power storage capacity.
Due to careful analysis and computing chemistry, scientists have been able to prove a mechanism by which silver promotes uniform deposition of lithium, which further confirmed the effectiveness of this new technology.
