Determining Lithium Metal Deposition (LMD) in Batteries

TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY

Determining Lithium Metal Deposition (LMD) in Batteries

A new method that predicts the foremost metrics of Lithium Metal Deposition and quantifies them as they relate to cell capacity loss over time.

Opportunity: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), managed and operated by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), is offering the opportunity to enter into a license and/or collaborative research agreement to commercialize this new technology capable of detecting Lithium Metal Deposition in batteries. This technology transfer opportunity is part of a dedicated effort to convert government-funded research into job opportunities, businesses and ultimately an improved way of life for the American people.

Overview: Modern battery systems are being tasked to perform at higher levels in terms of increased total energy storage, greater power delivery, reduced charge time and prolonged life in the field. Such challenging targets can have consequences that reduce the effective life of individual battery cells and the assembled battery packs. Lithium metal deposition (LMD) is an undesirable outcome that can become unsafe by leading to lithium dendrite formation and catastrophic cell failure through rapid self-discharging. A solution to LMD has yet to be found due to (1) the continual introduction of new battery chemistries that have unknown long-term aging consequences involving multiple mechanisms, and (2) the evolution of battery operating conditions that now seeks fast-charge capabilities.

Description: This technology is a method that uses a unique combination of common test data and models to derive important LMD metrics. The modeling data stems from robust sigmoidal rate expressions and other mass continuity governing expressions that allow quantification of LMD-related quantities. This method gives customers the ability to estimate the prevalence of LMD in their chosen lithium battery type, which supports early detection and mitigation of problematic and unsafe LMD conditions. Allowing early detection lets the user act in a timely manner to avoid unsafe conditions.

Benefits:

• Timely LMD detection and quantification allows actions to be taken to avoid battery failure.


• Method can support battery materials development and customized use conditions by determining when LMD is sufficiently abated.

Applications:

• This technology may be integrated with on board battery management systems to improve battery safety and increase battery useful life.


• As a development tool, this technology can be used to optimize battery design to minimize LMD and its effects on battery systems.

Development Status: TRL 4. Proof-of-concept prototype is undergoing testing and validation.

IP Status: Patent Application No. 17/654,931, “Determining Lithium-Metal Deposition and Related Aging in Batteries,” BEA Docket No. BA-1257.

INL is seeking to license the above intellectual property to a company with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Exclusive rights in defined fields of use may be available. Added value is placed on relationships with small businesses, start-up companies, and general entrepreneurship opportunities.

Please visit Technology Deployment’s website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/technology-deployment for more information on working with INL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Companies interested in learning more about this licensing opportunity should contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.