Morphological Stability of Metal Anodes: Roles of Solid Electrolyte Interphases (SEIs) and Desolvation Kinetics

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Autori principali: Zhang, Jin, Voorhees, Peter W.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Zhang, Jin
Voorhees, Peter W.
author_facet Zhang, Jin
Voorhees, Peter W.
contents Achieving stable lithium metal anodes requires control over the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and desolvation kinetics. Here, we develop a unified theoretical framework integrating ion transport, desolvation, charge transfer, and SEI breakdown to predict morphological instabilities during electrodeposition. Using linear stability analysis, we identify six dimensionless parameters that govern the onset and evolution of instabilities. We show that SEI transport and desolvation rate effectively modulate apparent reaction kinetics, shifting the system toward a stable, reaction-limited regime. Extending the classical limiting current concept, we demonstrate that a thick, poorly conductive SEI and sluggish desolvation significantly reduce the limiting current. We introduce an apparent Damköhler number to quantify the critical balance: suppressing diffusion-limited instabilities by reaction rate reduction, while maintaining a high limiting current. Our theory enables predictive mapping of electrodeposition morphologies across diverse materials and operating conditions, guiding the rational design of stable lithium metal anodes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_20751
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Morphological Stability of Metal Anodes: Roles of Solid Electrolyte Interphases (SEIs) and Desolvation Kinetics
Zhang, Jin
Voorhees, Peter W.
Materials Science
Achieving stable lithium metal anodes requires control over the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and desolvation kinetics. Here, we develop a unified theoretical framework integrating ion transport, desolvation, charge transfer, and SEI breakdown to predict morphological instabilities during electrodeposition. Using linear stability analysis, we identify six dimensionless parameters that govern the onset and evolution of instabilities. We show that SEI transport and desolvation rate effectively modulate apparent reaction kinetics, shifting the system toward a stable, reaction-limited regime. Extending the classical limiting current concept, we demonstrate that a thick, poorly conductive SEI and sluggish desolvation significantly reduce the limiting current. We introduce an apparent Damköhler number to quantify the critical balance: suppressing diffusion-limited instabilities by reaction rate reduction, while maintaining a high limiting current. Our theory enables predictive mapping of electrodeposition morphologies across diverse materials and operating conditions, guiding the rational design of stable lithium metal anodes.
title Morphological Stability of Metal Anodes: Roles of Solid Electrolyte Interphases (SEIs) and Desolvation Kinetics
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.20751