DEMS study of gas evolution at thick graphite electrodes for lithium-ion batteries: the effect of γ-butyrolactone

Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) was used to study the reductive decomposition of an electrolyte based on ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (EC/DMC), as well as the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in this electrolyte, at thick (75–100 μm) porous graphite composite electrodes. A number of graphite electrodes differing in their electrochemical lithium intercalation properties were investigated in potential-sweep experiments. They proved to be similar with respect to the evolution of ethylene and hydrogen gas during the first two charge/discharge cycles. Due to an incomplete coulombic conversion, a high irreversible capacity, as well as slow diffusion kinetics and an enhanced ohmic resistance of the electrodes, SEI formation on these thick electrodes was not yet complete after the first charge/discharge cycle. Undesired gas evolution can be reduced by adding γ-butyrolactone (GBL) as an electrolyte co-solvent. The amount of ethylene and hydrogen gas evolved decreases with increasing percentages of GBL in an EC/DMC electrolyte, indicating that the SEI layer is built up from GBL rather than from EC decomposition products.