Unraveling Li growth kinetics in solid electrolytes due to electron beam charging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Characterizing solid electrolytes (SEs) is vital for solid-state battery (SSB) performance.
• Electron microscopy is a key technique, but beam-induced sample changes can mislead interpretations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of electron beams on Al-doped lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO).
• To understand how imaging conditions affect electron beam-induced phenomena in SEs.
• To provide guidance for accurate characterization of battery materials.

Main Methods:

• Systematic investigation of electron beam effects on LLZO under varied conditions (temperature, voltage, intensity).
• In-situ observation of lithium metal growth on LLZO surfaces.
• Analysis of lithium growth kinetics and morphology.

Main Results:

• Lithium metal growth was observed directly on the LLZO surface.
• Growth kinetics and morphology were significantly influenced by temperature, accelerating voltage, and beam intensity.
• Lithium growth was attributed to LLZO delithiation triggered by electron beam-induced positive charging.

Conclusions:

• Electron beam irradiation can induce delithiation and lithium metal growth on LLZO.
• Accurate characterization of SEs requires understanding and mitigating beam-sample interactions.
• Results offer critical insights for reliable electron microscopy of solid-state batteries.