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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Elemental-sensitive Detection of the Chemistry in Batteries through Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering
Published on: April 17, 2018
Emerging scanning probe approaches to the measurement of ionic reactivity at energy storage materials
Zachary J Barton1, Joaquín Rodríguez-López2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
Abstract:
Many modern energy storage technologies operate via the nominally reversible shuttling of alkali ions between an anode and a cathode capable of hosting them. The degradation process that occurs with normal usage is not yet fully understood, but emerging progress in analytical tools may help address this knowledge gap. By interrogating ionic fluxes over electrified surfaces, scanning probe methods may identify features that impact the local cyclability of a material and subsequently help inform rational electrode design for future generations of batteries. Methods developed for identifying ion fluxes for batteries show great promise for broader applications, including biological interfaces, corrosion, and catalysis.
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