Predicting fracture evolution during lithiation process using peridynamics

Silicon is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to its large electric capacity. However, silicon experiences large volumetric change during battery cycling which can lead to fracture and failure of lithium-ion batteries. The lithium concentration and anode material phase change have direct influence on hydrostatic stress and damage evolution. High pressure gradient around crack tips causes mass flux of lithium ions which increases the lithium-ion concentration in these regions. Therefore, it is essential to describe the physics of the problem by solving fully coupled mechanical-diffusion equations. In this study, these equations are solved using peridynamics in conjunction with newly introduced peridynamic differential operator concept used to convert partial differential equation into peridynamic form for the diffusion equation. After validating the developed framework, the capability of the current approach is demonstrated by considering a thin electrode plate with multiple pre-existing cracks oriented in different directions. It is shown that peridynamics can successfully predict the crack propagation process during the lithiation process.