Influence of thermal management and battery design on inhomogeneous lithium plating during fast charging

Range anxiety regarding electric vehicles necessitates advancements in fast charging (FC) technology for lithium-ion batteries. However, inadequate thermal management and battery design exacerbate inhomogeneous lithium (Li) plating, hindering FC significantly. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical‒thermal coupled model with a Li plating degradation mechanism is established to examine the effects of thermal management and battery design on inhomogeneous Li plating during FC. The validated results reveal that in-plane thermal gradients significantly influence nonuniform Li deposition compared with interlayer thermal gradients. At −5 °C with an in-plane thermal gradient of 10 °C, the differences in dead Li concentrations between the upper and lower regions reach 118.55 %, 123.58 %, and 157.70 % of the average under constant current (CC), boost charging, and multistage CC protocols, respectively. Compared with other protocols, CC charging alleviates inhomogeneity but yields more Li plating. Surface dissipation more effectively mitigates in-plane Li plating inhomogeneity than does tab dissipation. A reduced electrode thickness decreases both Li plating and inhomogeneity, whereas a reduced particle radius significantly decreases Li plating but increases inhomogeneity. The counter tab type demonstrates superior efficacy in mitigating inhomogeneous Li deposition. These insights are crucial for improving thermal management and battery design, thereby promoting FC protocols.