Observation of Lithium Isotope Effect Accompanying Electrochemical Insertion of Lithium into Tin.

Abstract

Electrolysis of an organic electrolyte solution containing lithium ions was conducted to observe lithium isotope fractionation accompanying electrochemical insertion of lithium from the electrolyte to tin metal. The experimental setup consisted of a three-electrode electrolysis cell with a tin wire as cathode, lithium foils as anode and reference electrode and 1 M LiPF6 dissolved in 1:2 volume ratio of ethylene carbonate and methylethyl carbonate as electrolyte and a power supply. The supplied electric energy was mostly consumed for the lithium insertion from the electrolyte to the tin cathode within the range of the cathode potential, relative to the reference electrode potential, from 0.05 V to 0.30 V. The single-stage separation factor increased with increasing cathode potential and seemed to asymptotically approach to the limiting value of 1.015 at 25°C, with 6 Li being preferentially fractionated into tin metal.

Lithium Isotope Effect Accompanying Electrochemical Intercalation of Lithium into Graphite

“…1, is basically the same as the one used in the experiments in which lithium was electrochemically inserted into tin metal [13]. It was composed of a power supply (a Hokuto Denko Corporation HJ-201B battery charge / discharge unit), a three-electrode electrochemical cell (electrolytic cell) and a data ac- Fig.…”

In Situ Quantification and Visualization of Lithium Transport with Neutrons

“…This increase in the Li concentration, which extends significantly into the electrolyte region (−5 to 0 μm) can be attributed to the concentration of the Li salt as a consequence of solvent consumption during the formation of the SEI or due to a decrease in the volume from the expansion of the electrodes. Another possible reason for this observation is the preferential migration of 6 Li towards Sn during lithiation,17 which induces an enrichment of 6 Li at the surface.…”

Observation of Lithium Isotope Effects Accompanying Electrochemical Release from Lithium Cobalt Oxide

“…In place of graphite, we previously investigated tin [1], tin oxide [4], tin sulfide [7], iron-silicon composite oxide [4], gallium [5], and zinc [6] as anode material and measured magnitudes of lithium isotope effects by charge reactions. Like graphite, tin, gallium, zinc, and zinc sulfide preferred 6 Li over 7 Li.…”