High critical currents for dendrite penetration and voiding in potassium metal anode solid-state batteries

Journal article

Potassium metal anode solid-state cells with a K-beta”-alumina ceramic electrolyte are found to have relatively high critical currents for dendrite penetration on charge of approximately 4.8 mA/cm2, and voiding on discharge of approximately 2.0 mA/cm2, at 20 °C under 2.5 MPa stack-pressure. These values are higher than generally reported in the literature under comparable conditions for Li and Na metal anode solid-state batteries. The higher values for potassium are attributed to its lower yield strength and its readiness to creep under relatively low stack-pressures. The high critical currents of potassium anode solid-state batteries help to confirm the importance of the metal anode mechanical properties in the mechanisms of dendrite penetration and voiding.

Authors: Spencer Jolly, D; Perera, J; Pu, SD; Melvin, DLR; Adamson, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1961-1968
• Publication date: 2022-06-30
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-022-05225-8
• EISSN: 1433-0768
• ISSN: 1432-8488
• Language: English
• Keywords: Composite material; Penetration (warfare); Metallurgy; Metal; Materials science; Electrolyte; Dendrite (mathematics); Potassium; Ceramic; Electrode; Chemistry; Electrochemistry; Anode