Lithium Plating
Lithium plating is the deposition of metallic lithium on a battery's negative electrode during charging; during normal charging of a graphite lithium-ion cell, lithium ions instead enter the graphite structure by intercalation. Plating occurs when lithium reaches the electrode surface faster than the material can accept it.
Why it matters
Low cell temperature, high charging rate, and a negative electrode close to full lithiation can increase the risk. Some plated lithium may be removed during later discharge, while some can become electrically isolated and consume cyclable lithium. Deposits can take several shapes, including dendritic forms, but lithium plating does not mean that every deposit is a dendrite.
Lithium plating is an unwanted side reaction in a conventional Lithium-Ion Battery. It is different from a lithium-metal battery, which intentionally uses metallic lithium as its negative electrode. Battery controls can reduce risk by limiting charge power or warming a cold pack; see Battery Preconditioning.
For the causes, detection limits, and ageing consequences, see Battery Degradation.