Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) were applied to a lithium (Li) metal battery system, and the behavior of Li electrodeposition on nickel electrodes in RTILs was investigated using in situ optical microscopy with/without an organic additive, vinylene carbonate (VC), in the RTILs. Two RTILs, PP13[TFSA] (N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide) and EMI[FSA] (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide), were chosen as the base electrolytes. Dendritic particles were obtained in the case of EMI(FSA) with and without VC, and PP13[TFSA] without VC, while non-dendritic fine particles were obtained in the case of PP13[TFSA] with VC. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.