WHY GRAPHITE ELECTRODES FAIL IN PC SOLUTIONS: AN INSIGHT FROM MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES

  • Doron Aurbach
  • Maxim Koltypin
  • Hnnan Teller
  • Yaron S. Cohen
Conference paper
Part of the NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry book series (NAII, volume 229)

Abstract

This paper deals with capacity fading mechanisms of graphite electrodes. Three types of graphite particles were used: synthetic flakes, natural flakes and mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB). We used a probe solution, EC-PC/LiClO4, in which electrodes comprising different types of graphite particles behave very differently from each other. The tools for this study included in-situ AFM imaging, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and standard electrochemical techniques. The morphology of the edge planes of the graphite particles plays an important role in their ability to develop passivating surface films when graphite electrodes are polarized cathodically in the electrolyte solutions. Another critical factor that determines the passivation of the graphite electrodes is the cohesion and adhesion of the solution reduction products. A major failure mechanism of graphite particles in PC solutions seems to be cracking of the particles because of reactions in crevices, which lead to a build-up of internal pressure. Such cracking processes can be clearly observed by AFM imaging. The unexpected dependence of the irreversible capacity of some types of graphite electrodes on the particle size (increases with larger particle size) is also evident for the above failure mechanism. Factors that determine stabilization and failure of graphite electrodes are demonstrated and discussed.

Keywords

Graphite Electrode Cathodic Polarization Propylene Carbonate Graphite Particle Ethylene Carbonate 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • Doron Aurbach
    • 1
  • Maxim Koltypin
    • 1
  • Hnnan Teller
    • 1
  • Yaron S. Cohen
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ChemistryBar-Ilan UniversityRamat-GanIsrael

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