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The commercialized rechargeable lithium batteries currently used to power devices such as cell phones, laptops, power tools ,and the Tesla roadster (a high-end electric sports car- are ) are too large, too heavy, too costly costly, and too short short-lived for applications such as common consumer electric vehicles. The current state-of-the-art Advances are required in materials development is insufficient for lithium batteries to broadly meet consumer needs. Battery Battery performance is determined by the chemistry of the two electrodes, the electrolyte, and the interfaces between electrode and electrolyte. Due Due to their increased energy density (energy per unit mass or volume), rechargeable batteries with lithium metal anodes could be two to three times lighter than current commercialized lithium-ion batteries. But However, batteries that offer improvements in energy density unfortunately lack safety, which limits their use to applications such as unmanned military systems. Jennifer's research focuses on understanding which electrolyte properties enable the safe use of lithium metal anodes in rechargeable batteries, thus enabling smaller and lighter battery designs.
Upon When lithium metal battery rechargebatteries are recharged, lithium ions redeposit on the anode in the form of lithium metal; unfortunately, this deposition occurs unevenly across the electrode surface. Metallic Metallic spikes, called dendrites, emerge from the surface and grow across the electrolyte space to the other electrode, creating a "short circuit. In " In the presence of commonly used electrolyte materials, a "short" often results in fire or explosion – , a clear safety hazard. Jennifer Jennifer researches ways to engineer the electrolyte to promote even metallic lithium plating upon recharge, eliminating the short circuit concern, while using materials that are non-flammable and non-volatile.
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