The effect of ultrasound on lithium surfaces in propylene carbonate

Ultrasonic irradiation of lithium metal electrodes is demonstrated to erode surface layers and subsequently reduce the interfacial resistance. Dynamic impedance measurements were employed to monitor the erosion and reformatio n of surface layers formed on lithium electrodes placed in a propylene carb onate electrolyte in the presence and absence of ultrasound, respectively. In the presence of ultrasound a marked decrease in the resistance (ca. 310 Omega cm(2) to 225 Omega cm(2)) was observed over a 400 s period. Other exp eriments employing a 50 mu m diameter Cu microelectrode showed that ultraso und had a marked effect on both lithium plating and stripping. It was found that the stripping efficiency was reduced from ca. 60% under silent condit ions to only ca. 18% in the presence of ultrasound. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that ultrasound efficiently removes lithium from a lithium coa ted copper microelectrode in the absence of any stripping or plating proces ses. The results demonstrate that ultrasound, under the conditions reported here, removes lithium from the surface of the microelectrode, increases th e voltage required for lithium plating, reduces the interfacial resistance of films formed on lithium within a propylene carbonate electrolyte and dec reases the efficiency of the stripping/plating process. (C) 1999 Elsevier S cience S.A. All rights reserved.