Chemical stress in a largely deformed electrode: Effects of trapping lithium

Summary: Lithium trapping, which is associated with the immobilization of lithium and is one of key factors contributing to structural degradation of lithium-ion batteries during electrochemical cycling, can exacerbate mechanical stress and ultimately cause the capacity loss and battery failure. Currently, there are few studies focusing on how lithium trapping contributes to mechanical stress during electrochemical cycling. This study incorporates the contribution of lithium trapping in the analysis of mechanical stress and mass transport in the framework of finite deformation. Two de-lithiation scenarios are analyzed: one with a constant concentration of trapped lithium and the other with inhomogeneous distribution of trapped lithium. The results show that the constant concentration of trapped lithium increases chemical stress and the inhomogeneous distribution of trapped lithium causes the decrease of chemical stress. The findings can serve as a basis for developing effective strategies to mitigate the lithium trapping and improve the battery performance.