Long-range electric vehicles and long-duration renewable energy storage are critical to moving toward a more energy-efficient future. However, due to the limited energy density of current technologies such as Lithium (Li) Ion Batteries (LIBs), higher energy density battery technologies are needed to meet the expected future energy storage demands. The Lithium Metal Battery (LMB) has shown promise in combating the energy storage limitations of LIBs. This is due to the Li metal anode having a theoretical capacity that is an order of magnitude larger than that of the graphite anode utilized in the LIB. However, they are hindered by the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites. During cycling, the dendrites can break off forming dead lithium, they can pierce the separator leading to short circuit of the battery and thermal runaway, and under extreme conditions they can lead to catastrophic failure of the battery. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the morphology evolution of deposited Li is a primary challenge in the commercialization of LMBs.

Our research uses numerical models that has been verified and validated to study the dendrite growth under various operating conditions. Our computational model is also used to study how separators, anode design and surface characteristics impact Li plating. Through this modeling we can perform parametric studies to provide insight into the factors that lead to dendritic growth as well as indicate strategies to suppress growth. New physics are constantly being added to the model to help achieve a more robust system.

Work in this area has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation (1727316, 2034154)

Relevant Publications

• A. Cannon, J.G. McDaniel, E.M. Ryan. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics modeling of electrodeposition and dendritic growth under migration-and diffusion-controlled mass transport. Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Stroage.
• T. Melsheimer, M. Morey, A. Cannon, E.M. Ryan. Modeling the effects of pulse plating on dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries. Electrochimica Acta.
• X. Shan, M. Morey, Z. Li, S. Zhao, S. Song, Z. Xiao, H. Feng, S. Gao, G. Li, A. Sokolov, E.M. Ryan, K. Xu, M. Tian, Y. He, H. Yang, P. Cao. A Polymer Electrolyte with High Cationic Transport Number for Safe and Stable Solid Li-Metal Batteries, ACS Energy Letters.
• M. Morey, J. Loftus, A. Cannon, E. Ryan. Interfacial studies on the effects of patterned anodes for guided lithium deposition in lithium metal batteries, The Journal of Chemical Physics.
• A. Yan, T. Sokolinski, W. Lane, J. Tan, K. Ferris, E.M. Ryan. Applying transfer learning with convolutional neural networks to identify novel electrolytes for metal air batteries. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry.
• S. Gao, A. Cannon, F. Sun, Y. Pan, D. Yang, S. Ge, N. Liu, A. P. Sokolov, E.M. Ryan, H. Yang, and P. Cao. Glass-fiber-reinforced polymeric film as an efficient protecting layer for stable Li metal electrodes, Cell Reports Physical Science.
• S. Rajendran, Z. Tang, A. George, A. Cannon , C. Neumann, A. Sawas, E. M. Ryan, A. Turchanin, L.M. Reddy Arava. Inhibition of Lithium Dendrite Formation in Lithium Metal Batteries via Regulated Cation Transport through Ultrathin Sub-Nanometer Porous Carbon Nanomembranes, Advanced Energy Materials.
• A. Cannon, E.M. Ryan. Characterizing the Microstructure of Separators in Lithium Batteries and Their Effects on Dendritic Growth. ACS Applied Energy Materials.
• K. Dong, Y. Xu, J. Tan, M. Osenberg, C. Yang F. Sun, Z. Kochovski, D. T. Pham, S. Mei, A. Hilger, E.M. Ryan, Y. Lu, J. Banhart, I. Manke. Unravelling the Mechanism of Lithium Nucleation and Growth and the Interaction with the Solid Electrolyte Interface, ACS Energy Letters.
• D. Gopalakrishnan, S. Alkatie, A. Cannon, S. Rajendran, N.K. Thangavel, N. Bhagirath, E.M. Ryan, L.M. Reddy Arava. Anisotropic mass transport using ionic liquid crystalline electrolytes to suppress lithium dendrite growth. Sustainable Energy and Fuels.
• J. Tan, A. Cannon, E.M. Ryan. Simulating Dendrite growth in Lithium Batteries under Cycling Conditions. Journal of the Power Sources, 463: 228187.
• E.M. Ryan, P. Mukherjee. Mesoscale Modeling in Electrochemical Devices - A Critical Perspective. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 71, 118-142.
• K. Xie, W. Wei, N. Li, J. Tan, L. Zhang, X. Luo, K. Yuan, Q. Song, H. Li, C. Shen, E.M. Ryan, L. Liu and B. Wei. Suppressing Dendritic Lithium Formation Using Porous Media in Lithium Metal Based Batteries. Nano Letters.
• J. Tan, E.M. Ryan. Structured Electrolytes to Suppress Dendrite Growth in High Energy Density Batteries. International Journal of Energy Research.
• J. Tan, E.M. Ryan. Computational study of electro-convection effects on dendrite growth in batteries. Journal of Power Sources.
• W. A. Lane, S. Sundaresan, E.M. Ryan Sub-Grid Filtering Model for Multiphase Heat Transfer With Immersed Tubes. Chemical Engineering Science.
• J. Tan, K. Ferris, A.M. Tartakovsky, E.M. Ryan. Investigating the Effects of Anisotropic Mass Transport on Dendrite Growth in High Energy Density Lithium Batteries. The Journal of the Electrochemical Society.
• J. Tan, E.M. Ryan. (2013). Dendrite Growth in a Lithium Air Battery System. The Electrochemical Society Transactions, 54, 20: 35-43.
• E.M. Ryan, K.F. Ferris, A.M. Tartakovsky, M.A. Khaleel. (2013). Computational Modeling of Transport Limitations in Li-air Batteries. The Electrochemical Society Transactions 45, 29: 123-136.