Modeling and in situ characterization of lithiation-induced stress in electrodes during the coupled mechano-electro-chemical process

Stress is one of the key factors leading to capacity fading and triggering safety issues in lithium-ion batteries. In this paper, the stress in layered electrodes during the electrochemical process is investigated. Considering the electrochemically induced changes in the elastic modulus of the electrode material, a stress model is established to obtain a modified Stoney stress equation. In addition, in situ bending deformation of the Si composite electrode during lithiation and delithiation is measured to be determined as a function of Li concentration. Combined with the established stress model, the lithiation-induced stress in the Si composite electrode material is quantitatively characterized. It is shown that the maximum compressive stress is 8.53 MPa. Furthermore, the differences between the established stress model and the classical Stoney stress equation are compared and discussed. Lithiation results in softening of the Si composite electrode material, which affects the stress during lithiation. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that softening of the Si composite electrode material significantly decreases and alleviates the stress.