A Practical Guide for Using Electrochemical Dilatometry as Operando Tool in Battery and Supercapacitor Research.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors exhibit electrode dimensional changes during operation, known as "breathing."
• Electrochemical dilatometry (ECD) is a technique to measure these dimensional changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements and future trends in electrochemical dilatometry (ECD).
• To provide a practical guide for evaluating ECD data in battery and supercapacitor research.
• To address challenges in data interpretation and literature comparison.

Main Methods:

• Electrochemical dilatometry (ECD) for continuous measurement of electrode/cell dimensional changes.
• Application of ECD to lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.
• Analysis of macroscopic and nanoscopic dimensional changes.

Main Results:

• ECD provides insights into electrode/cell reactions, side reactions, and the influence of materials like binders and porosity.
• The method is applicable across a wide measurement range.
• Recent advancements have increased interest in ECD, despite a lack of standardized data evaluation practices.

Conclusions:

• ECD is a valuable technique for understanding battery and supercapacitor behavior.
• Standardized data evaluation and awareness of potential pitfalls are crucial for reliable results.
• Further development and application of ECD will advance energy storage research.