Averting cracks caused by insertion reaction in lithium–ion batteries

Abstract

In a lithium-ion battery, both electrodes are atomic frameworks that host mobile lithium ions. When the battery is being charged or discharged, lithium ions diffuse from one electrode to the other. Such an insertion reaction deforms the electrodes and may cause the electrodes to crack. This paper uses fracture mechanics to determine the critical conditions to avert insertion-induced cracking. The method is applied to cracks induced by the mismatch between phases in LiFePO4.