The Effect of Grain Size on Mechanical Instability in Single-Phase Li-Alloy Anodes

Abstract

We derived a critical grain size below which microcracking does not occur based on volume changes as a result of Li charging into brittle single phase alloys. The predicted critical grain size is less than the unit cell size for a majority of single phase alloys. We conducted indentation fracture toughness measurements to confirm the prediction. The critical crack length determined from fracture toughness data was in excellent agreement with the predicted critical grain size for microcracking. This result suggests that the model for predicting the critical grain size for microcracking during Li charging into brittle single phase alloys is correct. The results of this study suggest that decreasing the particle and/or grain size is not a practical approach to solving the mechanical instability problem of single phase Li alloys that are intended to be used as anodes in Li-ion batteries.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA375121

Entities

People

  • Donald Foster
  • Jeff Wolfenstine
  • Jeffrey Read
  • Wishvender Behl

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Agreements
  • Alloys
  • Cell Size
  • Cracks
  • Energy
  • Grain Size
  • Instability
  • Lithium Ion Batteries
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Microcracking
  • Military Research
  • Particles
  • Surface Energy
  • Tensile Stress
  • Toughness

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Battery Technology and Engineering
  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Powder metallurgy of Titanium alloys.