Combining operando synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy and scanning X-ray diffraction to study lithium ion...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Studying dynamic processes in lithium ion batteries is crucial for improving energy storage.
• Amorphous or weakly attenuating materials present challenges for traditional characterization techniques.
• Correlating atomic-level crystal lattice changes with electrode microstructure is essential for understanding battery performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel operando study combining scanning X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) for lithium ion battery research.
• To investigate dynamic processes in batteries with challenging materials (amorphous/weakly attenuating).
• To correlate atomic-scale crystal lattice behavior with electrode microstructure dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous operando application of scanning X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM).
• Investigation of a silicon powder electrode in a lithium metal half-cell configuration.
• Analysis of dynamic processes at both atomic and microstructural levels.

Main Results:

• Quantification of metallic lithium electrode dissolution and silicon electrode expansion.
• Enhanced understanding of the Li15Si4 phase formation during battery operation.
• Non-invasive probing of kinetic limitations within the silicon electrode, identifying inhomogeneous lithiation.

Conclusions:

• The combined SXRD and SRXTM technique offers unprecedented insights into dynamic battery processes.
• Understanding kinetic limitations is key to optimizing high-capacity electrode designs.
• This approach enables detailed analysis of complex battery materials and behaviors.