Dendrite suppression of metal electrodeposition with liquid crystalline electrolytes

We study the dynamics of electrodeposition of a metal in contact with a liquid crystalline electrolyte. A nematic liquid crystalline electrolyte introduces an additional overpotential due to its bulk distortion and anchoring free energy. A phase-field model is built to simulate the morphological evolution of the metal anode under electrodeposition with nematic liquid crystal electrolyte. We provide design guidelines for achieving smooth electrodeposition with liquid crystalline electrolyte; in particular, we identify high anchoring energy can suppress dendrite growth. Liquid crystalline electrolytes offer a new avenue towards enabling high energy density rechargeable batteries based on metal anodes.