AN IN-SITU STUDY ON LITHIUM ELECTRODEPOSI TION BY ELECTROCHEMICAL SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY

In situ STM studies on lithium electrodeposition have been performed t o investigate a dendritic growth of lithium. Lithium was deposited on an HOPG electrode from a 0.1 mol/l LiClO4/PC electrolyte. The current densities of 1.50 and 0.5 mA/cm(2) were selected as electrolytic condi tions for a dendritic deposition and non dendritic deposition, respect ively. The morphologies of electrode surface deposited at 0.05 mA/cm(2 ) for 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min were observed by STM. The hight differ ence between the highest part and the lowest part of deposit (d(max)) increased with depositing time. The value of d(max) at 45 min (0.135C/ cm(2) was 43 nm. On the other hand, the d(max) at 1.50mA/cm(2) for 90s (0.135C/cm(2)) was 296nm. Therefore, it was considered that this morp hology should show the initial stage of dendritic deposit. It was show ed that the STM observation is useful to study the mechanism of lithiu m dendritic growth.