Effects of Charge Distribution on Lithium Dendrite Growth

Microscopic fibers of lithium, or so-called "dendrites", often lead to a short circuit in lithium-ion batteries that may cause them to catch fire. However, the mechanism for dendrite growth in electrolytes remains unclear. To overcome this problem, we have developed a new Monte Carlo simulation method that simultaneously accounts for dendrite growth and the electrostatic potential in liquids with a minimal set of parameters. Our theory provides a fractal dimension that can be measured experimentally. We consider various charge distributions. Specifically, we examined a case of highly concentrated charges toward a study of dendrite growth in ionic liquids. Our results produced two key features: (1) Charge distribution can substantially affect the fractal structure of dendrites, and (2) dendrites may grow more uniformly at high ionic strengths.