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Competing Ethylene Carbonate Reactions on Carbon Electrode in Li-Ion Batteries

Lundström, Robin ; Gogoi, Neeha ; Hou, Xu LU orcid and Berg, Erik J. (2023) In Journal of the Electrochemical Society 170(4).
Abstract

Ethylene carbonate (EC) is the archetype solvent in Li-ion batteries. Still, questions remain regarding the numerous possible reaction pathways of EC. Although the reaction pathway involving direct EC reduction and SEI formation is most commonly discussed, EC ring-opening is often observed, but seldomly addressed, especially with respect to SEI formation. By applying Online Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry, the EC ring-opening reaction on carbon is found to start already at ∼2.5 V vs Li+/Li as initiated by oxygenic carbon surface groups. Later, OH− generated from H2O reduction reaction at ∼1.6 V further propagates EC to ring-open. The EC reduction reaction occurs <0.9 V but is suppressed depending on... (More)

Ethylene carbonate (EC) is the archetype solvent in Li-ion batteries. Still, questions remain regarding the numerous possible reaction pathways of EC. Although the reaction pathway involving direct EC reduction and SEI formation is most commonly discussed, EC ring-opening is often observed, but seldomly addressed, especially with respect to SEI formation. By applying Online Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry, the EC ring-opening reaction on carbon is found to start already at ∼2.5 V vs Li+/Li as initiated by oxygenic carbon surface groups. Later, OH− generated from H2O reduction reaction at ∼1.6 V further propagates EC to ring-open. The EC reduction reaction occurs <0.9 V but is suppressed depending on the extent of EC ring-opening at higher potentials. Electrode/electrolyte impurities and handling conditions are found to have a significant influence on both processes. In conclusion, SEI formation is shown to be governed by several kinetically competing reaction pathways whereby EC ring-opening can play a significant role.

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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
in
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
volume
170
issue
4
article number
040516
publisher
IOP Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:85153503470
ISSN
0013-4651
DOI
10.1149/1945-7111/accb6e
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published on behalf of The Electrochemical Society by IOP Publishing Limited.
id
1f3a41bd-c6d6-41a7-abc9-f51ae8a006e7
date added to LUP
2025-12-05 22:31:23
date last changed
2025-12-11 14:35:51
@article{1f3a41bd-c6d6-41a7-abc9-f51ae8a006e7,
  abstract     = {{<p>Ethylene carbonate (EC) is the archetype solvent in Li-ion batteries. Still, questions remain regarding the numerous possible reaction pathways of EC. Although the reaction pathway involving direct EC reduction and SEI formation is most commonly discussed, EC ring-opening is often observed, but seldomly addressed, especially with respect to SEI formation. By applying Online Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry, the EC ring-opening reaction on carbon is found to start already at ∼2.5 V vs Li<sup>+</sup>/Li as initiated by oxygenic carbon surface groups. Later, OH<sup>−</sup> generated from H<sub>2</sub>O reduction reaction at ∼1.6 V further propagates EC to ring-open. The EC reduction reaction occurs &lt;0.9 V but is suppressed depending on the extent of EC ring-opening at higher potentials. Electrode/electrolyte impurities and handling conditions are found to have a significant influence on both processes. In conclusion, SEI formation is shown to be governed by several kinetically competing reaction pathways whereby EC ring-opening can play a significant role.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lundström, Robin and Gogoi, Neeha and Hou, Xu and Berg, Erik J.}},
  issn         = {{0013-4651}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  publisher    = {{IOP Publishing}},
  series       = {{Journal of the Electrochemical Society}},
  title        = {{Competing Ethylene Carbonate Reactions on Carbon Electrode in Li-Ion Batteries}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/accb6e}},
  doi          = {{10.1149/1945-7111/accb6e}},
  volume       = {{170}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}