Detecting hazardous lithium plating on anodes of lithium-ion batteries—A review of in situ methods

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0241

Abstract

Abstract:

Lithium-ion batteries play a pivotal role in achieving carbon neutrality goals through their widespread applications in electric vehicles, portable electronics, and energy storage systems. However, lithium plating—a critical process that occurs at the anode during charging—poses a significant challenge, compromising both safety and performance. This study systematically investigates the formation mechanisms and influencing factors of lithium plating, revealing that the synergistic effects of battery design flaws and extreme operating conditions (such as a low-temperature environment, fast charging, and overcharging) can drive the anode potential below 0 V vs. $L i / L i +$ , triggering the deposition of metallic lithium. The irreversibility of lithium deposition leads to three critical consequences: continuous thickening of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, accumulation of “dead lithium”, and dendritic lithium growth. These effects collectively contribute to capacity degradation and thermal runaway risks.To address the challenges in detecting lithium deposition, this study provides a comprehensive classification and critical review of existing technologies from the perspective of in situ detection. Quantitative detection methodologies include electrochemical characterization techniques (e.g., differential voltage analysis, differential voltage relaxation analysis, incremental and capacity analysis and physical characterization approaches (e.g., nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and X-ray technology). Qualitative detection strategies involve electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and thickness or pressure monitoring systems. Compared to postmortem analysis requiring battery disassembly, these advanced methods offer novel insights for real-time monitoring applications.This study establishes an innovative dual-dimensional safety assessment framework encompassing thermal safety and performance safety, with the former focusing on heat generation characteristics and thermal stability thresholds during lithium plating and the latter on quantifying capacity fade rates and impedance growth patterns. This systematic approach provides a theoretical foundation for developing high-safety, long-cycle-life batteries.Finally, to address the shortcomings in current in situ lithium plating detection, the following recommendations are made: ① establishing a systematic definition of battery safety standards and correlating lithium plating detection with thermal and performance safety; ② combining electrochemical detection with big data to extract and fuse useful features for online safety diagnosis; ③ developing innovative in situ quantitative methods for visual monitoring and quantifying complex internal reactions, and ④ providing scientific guidance to overcome the bottlenecks in in situ lithium plating detection technology.

Key words: lithium-ion battery, lithium plating, in-situ detection, battery safety, thermal runaway

CLC Number:

TH 842

Wenyuan WENG, Bin SHEN, Jiangong ZHU, Yang WANG, Huapeng LU, Wuliyasu HE, Haonan LIU, Haifeng DAI, Xuezhe WEI. Detecting hazardous lithium plating on anodes of lithium-ion batteries—A review of in situ methods[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2025, 14(7): 2575-2589.

Figures/Tables 7

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