Li-ion transport and local structural changes are vital in current and future batteries, however hard to monitor on a microscopic level under operando conditions. Here I will present our recent progress in the use of operando Neutron Depth Profiling, operando m-beam diffraction and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance investigating Li-ion and solid state batteries.
Through the capture reaction of neutrons with 6Li Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP) is able to detect the Li-ion distribution in batteries with a resolution down to 5 and 50 nanometer. NDP is used to monitor Li-metal plating and stripping on Cu current collectors. NDP enables to monitor quantitatively the depth distribution of Li-ions during the plating and stripping cycles, providing direct insights of the plating mechanism depending on the current rate, opening up new possibilities for Li-metal anode research. Using m-beam diffraction the transformation of individual electrode particle can be monitored during realistic battery operation conditions. It provides the opportunity to measure transformation times, local hotspots, local particle rotations and transformations of many individual grains concurrently. Finally, Solid state NMR is used to unravel the Li-ion charge transport in solid state batteries utilizing argyrodite solid electrolytes, Li6PS5H (H=Cl,Br). This gives direct insight in how the interfacial resistance depends on preparation conditions and cycling, one of the major bottlenecks for all solid state batteries. In summary, with the experimental approaches presented, my aim is to support fundamental understanding of critical processes in batteries.
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