In-situ EM Characterization of Li-ion Battery through Multiple Cycles

Cycle life often determines the commercial viability of a particular electrode chemistry or structure. The dramatic structural, crystallographic, and chemical changes that may occur in and around Li-ion battery electrodes can severely affect their cycle life. This provides a clear motive for developing an improved understanding of the nature of chemical and structural changes associated with electrochemical cycling. The sensitivity of reduced Li and commercial Li-ion electrolytes to air makes in-situ investigations imperative. This fact has driven a major push to characterize Li-ion cycling in-situ at the nanoscale using a variety of techniques. The spatial and temporal resolution associated with transmission electron microscopy is well suited to investigate battery electrodes and underlies the recent push to investigate associated materials in-situ. [1-9]