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Martín-Yerga D, Xu X, Valavanis D, West G, Walker M, Unwin PR. High-Throughput Combinatorial Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Nanoscale Lithium Metal Plating. ACS NANO 2024; 18:23032-23046. [PMID: 39136274 PMCID: PMC11363218 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c05001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
The development of Li metal batteries requires a detailed understanding of complex nucleation and growth processes during electrodeposition. In situ techniques offer a framework to study these phenomena by visualizing structural dynamics that can inform the design of uniform plating morphologies. Herein, we combine scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) with in situ interference reflection microscopy (IRM) for a comprehensive investigation of Li nucleation and growth on lithiophilic thin-film gold electrodes. This multimicroscopy approach enables nanoscale spatiotemporal monitoring of Li plating and stripping, along with high-throughput capabilities for screening experimental conditions. We reveal the accumulation of inactive Li nanoparticles in specific electrode regions, yet these regions remain functional in subsequent plating cycles, suggesting that growth does not preferentially occur from particle tips. Optical-electrochemical correlations enabled nanoscale mapping of Coulombic Efficiency (CE), showing that regions prone to inactive Li accumulation require more cycles to achieve higher CE. We demonstrate that electrochemical nucleation time (tnuc) is a lagging indicator of nucleation and introduce an optical method to determine tnuc at earlier stages with nanoscale resolution. Plating at higher current densities yielded smaller Li nanoparticles and increased areal density, and was not affected by heterogeneous topographical features, being potentially beneficial to achieve a more uniform plating at longer time scales. These results enhance the understanding of Li plating on lithiophilic surfaces and offer promising strategies for uniform nucleation and growth. Our multimicroscopy approach has broad applicability to study nanoscale metal plating and stripping phenomena, with relevance in the battery and electroplating fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martín-Yerga
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University
of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä 40100, Finland
| | - Xiangdong Xu
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
| | | | - Geoff West
- Warwick
Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
| | - Marc Walker
- Department
of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
| | - Patrick R. Unwin
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
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2
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Zhao X, Chen H, Cui Y, Zhang X, Hao R. Dual-Mode Imaging of Dynamic Interaction between Bubbles and Single Nanoplates during the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Process. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400273. [PMID: 38552218 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Gas bubble formation at electrochemical interfaces can significantly affect the efficiency and durability of electrocatalysts. However, obtaining comprehensive details on bubble evolution dynamics, particularly their dynamic interaction with high-performance structured electrocatalysts, poses a considerable challenge. Herein, dual-mode interference/total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy is introduced, which allows for the simultaneous capture of the evolution pathway of bubbles and the 3D motion of nanoplate electrocatalysts, providing high-resolution and accurate spatiotemporal information. During the hydrogen evolution reaction, the dynamics of hydrogen bubble generation and their interactions with single nanoplate electrocatalysts at the electrochemical interface are observed. The results unveiled that, under constant potential, bubbles initially manifest as fast-moving nanobubbles, transforming into stationary microbubbles subsequently. The morphology of stationary nanoplates regulates the trajectories of these moving nanobubbles while the pinned microbubbles induce the motion of the electrocatalysts. The dual-mode microscopy can be employed to scrutinize numerous multiphase electrochemical interactions with high spatiotemporal resolution, which can facilitate the rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Houkai Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yu Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Rui Hao
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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3
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Niu B, Xie RC, Ren B, Long YT, Wang W. Radially distributed charging time constants at an electrode-solution interface. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5633. [PMID: 38965237 PMCID: PMC11224254 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
An electrochemically homogeneous electrode-solution interface should be understood as spatially invariant in both terms of intrinsic reactivity for the electrode side and electrical resistance mainly for the solution side. The latter remains presumably assumed in almost all cases. However, by using optical microscopy to spatially resolve the classic redox electrochemistry occurring at the whole surface of a gold macroelectrode, we discover that the electron transfer occurs always significantly sooner (by milliseconds), rather than faster in essence, at the radial coordinates closer to the electrode periphery than the very center. So is the charging process when there is no electron transfer. Based on optical measurements of the interfacial impedance, this spatially unsynchronized electron transfer is attributed to a radially non-uniform distribution of solution resistance. We accordingly manage to eliminate the heterogeneity by engineering the solution resistance distribution. The revealed spatially-dependent charging time 'constant' (to be questioned) would help paint our overall fundamental picture of electrode kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ruo-Chen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (i-ChEM), Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yi-Tao Long
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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4
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Li Z, Hu T, Yang J, Yu X, Su F, Bai Q, Ma Y, Song Y, Jia M, Zhou X, Tang J. In Situ Constructing of Rigid-Soft Coupling Solid-Electrolyte Interphase on Silicon Electrode toward High-Performance Lithium Ion Batteries. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305991. [PMID: 37858930 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The application of Si anodes is hindered by some critical issues such as large volume changes of bare Si and fragile solid-electrolyte interface (SEI), resulting in low coulombic efficiency and rapid capacity decay. Herein, a multifunctional SEI film with high content of LiF is in situ constructed via the surface grafting of carbon-fluorine functionalized groups on silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) during cycling. Mechanical study demonstrates that the incorporation of LiF with high modulus and unbroken carbon-fluorine groups with highly elastic guarantee the rigid-soft coupling SEI film on Si electrode. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the rigid-soft coupling SEI film can effectively accommodate the volume expansion of Si nanoparticles during lithiation process, with the electrode expanding rate of only 114.16% after 100 cycles (263.87% for bare Si without surface modification). Afterward, with the aid of well-designed rigid-soft coupling SEI, the initial Coulomb efficiency of 89.8% is achieved, showing a reversible capacity of 1477 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 1.2 A g-1 . This work provides a simple and efficient solution that can potentially facilitate the practical application of Si anodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxiao Li
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Tingjie Hu
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Juan Yang
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Value-Added Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Xia Yu
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Fanyun Su
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Qixian Bai
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Yayun Ma
- Powder Metallurgy Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Yanchun Song
- Yiyang Testing Institute of Product and Commodity Quality Supervision, Yiyang, 413099, China
| | - Ming Jia
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
- Hunan Zizhu Technology Co. Ltd., Yiyang, 413046, China
| | - Xiangyang Zhou
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Value-Added Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Jingjing Tang
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Value-Added Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
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5
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Wei Y, Yang Y, Chen Z, Gao P, Ma Q, Gao M, Yan C, Wu Z, Jiang Y, Chen J, Yu X, Li Z, Zhang X, Liu Y, Gao M, Sun W, Pan H. In-Situ-Generated Electron-Blocking LiH Enabling an Unprecedented Critical Current Density of Over 15 mA cm -2 for Solid-State Hydride Electrolytes. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2304285. [PMID: 37487246 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
LiBH4 is a promising solid-state electrolyte (SE) due to its thermodynamic stability to Li. However, poor Li-ion conductivities at room temperature, low oxidative stabilities, and severe dendrite growth hamper its application. In this work, a partial dehydrogenation strategy is adopted to in situ generate an electronic blocking layer dispersed of LiH, addressing the above three issues simultaneously. The electrically insulated LiH reduces the electronic conductivity by two orders of magnitude, leading to a 32.0-times higher critical electrical bias for dendrite growth on the particle surfaces than that of the counterpart. Additionally, this layer not only promotes the Li-ion conductance by stimulating coordinated rotations of BH4 - and B12 H12 2- , contributing to a Li-ion conductivity of 1.38 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 25 °C, but also greatly enhances oxidation stability by localizing the electron density on BH4 - , extending its voltage window to 6.0 V. Consequently, this electrolyte exhibits an unprecedented critical current density (CCD) of 15.12 mA cm-2 at 25 °C, long-term Li plating and stripping stability for 2700 h, and a wide temperature window for dendrite inhibition from -30 to 150 °C. Its Li-LiCoO2 cell displays high reversibility within 3.0-5.0 V. It is believed that this work provides a clear direction for solid-state hydride electrolytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yaxiong Yang
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi'an Technological University, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Zichong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Panyu Gao
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qihang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Mingxi Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Chenhui Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zhijun Wu
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi'an Technological University, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Yinzhu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi'an Technological University, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Xuebin Yu
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Zhenglong Li
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi'an Technological University, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Mingxia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Wenping Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Hongge Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Institute of Science and Technology for New Energy, Xi'an Technological University, Xi'an, 710021, China
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6
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Lin H, Xu Y, Chen X, Fang Z, Yan T, Ma K, Liu L, Xi J. In Situ Mapping of Activity Distribution of V(II)/V(III) and Onset Potential Distribution of Hydrogen Evolution Side Reaction in Vanadium Flow Batteries. SMALL METHODS 2023:e2300841. [PMID: 37882331 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) face a challenge with the low reaction rates of the V(II)/V(III) redox couple, which limits the performance of VFBs. Additionally, the negative electrode in VFBs is often accompanied by the persistent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which is difficult to eliminate. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of activity on the negative electrode and the HER side reaction on the electrode surface is of critical importance. This study proposes a weak measurement imaging method to characterize the spatial distribution of surface activity and HER onset potential on the negative electrode in VFBs). This method enables the visualization and in situ detection of key parameters such as the absolute values of |ipa |, |ipc |, |∆E|, |ipc /ipa |, and the HER onset potential. By comparing three different types of graphite felts with varying activity levels, it validates the feasibility of this method. Furthermore, electrochemical stability tests are conducted to study the electrodes repeatability, uniformity, and durability. This method holds promise in guiding the design of electrodes with enhanced activity, good reversibility, minimized HER side reactions, and uniform distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Lin
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zengxian Fang
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tian Yan
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Kaijie Ma
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-1301, USA
| | - Le Liu
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jingyu Xi
- Institute of Materials Research, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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7
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Krumov MR, Lang S, Johnson L, Abruña HD. Operando Investigation of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation, Dynamic Evolution, and Degradation During Lithium Plating/Stripping. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:47692-47703. [PMID: 37751476 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c08485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) dictates the stability and cycling performance of highly reactive battery electrodes. Characterization of the thin, dynamic, and environmentally sensitive nature of the SEI presents a formidable challenge, which calls for the use of microscopic, time-resolved operando methods. Herein, we employ scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to directly probe the heterogeneous surface electronic conductivity during SEI formation and degradation. Complementary operando electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) and ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provide comprehensive analysis of the dynamic size and compositional evolution of the complex interfacial microstructure. We have found that stable anode passivation occurs at potentials of 0.5 V vs Li/Li+, even in cases where anion decomposition and interphase formation occur above 1.0 V. We investigated the bidirectional relationship between the SEI and lithium plating-stripping, finding that plating-stripping ruptures the SEI. The current efficiency of this reaction is correlated to the anodic stability of the SEI, highlighting the interdependent relationship between the two. We anticipate this work will provide critical insights on the rational design of stable and effective SEI layers for safe, fast-charging, and long-lifetime lithium metal batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihail R Krumov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Shuangyan Lang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Lucas Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Héctor D Abruña
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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8
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Pandya R, Valzania L, Dorchies F, Xia F, Mc Hugh J, Mathieson A, Tan HJ, Parton TG, Godeffroy L, Mazloomian K, Miller TS, Kanoufi F, De Volder M, Tarascon JM, Gigan S, de Aguiar HB, Grimaud A. Three-dimensional operando optical imaging of particle and electrolyte heterogeneities inside Li-ion batteries. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 18:1185-1194. [PMID: 37591934 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01466-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding (de)lithiation heterogeneities in battery materials is key to ensure optimal electrochemical performance. However, this remains challenging due to the three-dimensional morphology of electrode particles, the involvement of both solid- and liquid-phase reactants and a range of relevant timescales (seconds to hours). Here we overcome this problem and demonstrate the use of confocal microscopy for the simultaneous three-dimensional operando measurement of lithium-ion dynamics in individual agglomerate particles, and the electrolyte in batteries. We examine two technologically important cathode materials: LixCoO2 and LixNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2. The surface-to-core transport velocity of Li-phase fronts and volume changes are captured as a function of cycling rate. Additionally, we visualize heterogeneities in the bulk and at agglomerate surfaces during cycling, and image microscopic liquid electrolyte concentration gradients. We discover that surface-limited reactions and intra-agglomerate competing rates control (de)lithiation and structural heterogeneities in agglomerate-based electrodes. Importantly, the conditions under which optical imaging can be performed inside the complex environments of battery electrodes are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Pandya
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France.
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Lorenzo Valzania
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Florian Dorchies
- Chimie du Solide et de l'Energie, UMR 8260, Collège de France, Paris, France
- Réseau sur le stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), Amiens, France
| | - Fei Xia
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Jeffrey Mc Hugh
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Angus Mathieson
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hwee Jien Tan
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas G Parton
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Katrina Mazloomian
- Electrochemical Innovation Lab Department of Chemical Engineering, UCL, London, UK
| | - Thomas S Miller
- Electrochemical Innovation Lab Department of Chemical Engineering, UCL, London, UK
| | | | | | - Jean-Marie Tarascon
- Chimie du Solide et de l'Energie, UMR 8260, Collège de France, Paris, France
- Réseau sur le stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), Amiens, France
| | - Sylvain Gigan
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France.
| | - Hilton B de Aguiar
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France.
| | - Alexis Grimaud
- Chimie du Solide et de l'Energie, UMR 8260, Collège de France, Paris, France.
- Réseau sur le stockage Electrochimique de l'Energie (RS2E), Amiens, France.
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
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9
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Cheng C, Zhou Y, Xu Y, Jia H, Kim J, Xu W, Wang C, Gao P, Zhu Z. Dynamic Molecular Investigation of the Solid-Electrolyte Interphase of an Anode-Free Lithium Metal Battery Using In Situ Liquid SIMS and Cryo-TEM. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:8385-8391. [PMID: 37703459 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
We use in situ liquid secondary ion mass spectroscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and density functional theory calculation to delineate the molecular process in the formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer under the dynamic operating conditions. We discover that the onset potential for SEI layer formation and the thickness of the SEI show dependence on the solvation shell structure. On a Cu film anode, the SEI is noticed to start to form at around 2.0 V (nominal cell voltage) with a final thickness of about 40-50 nm in the 1.0 M LiPF6/EC-DMC electrolyte, while for the case of 1.0 M LiFSI/DME, the SEI starts to form at around 1.5 V with a final thickness of about 20 nm. Our observations clearly indicate the inner and outer SEI layer formation and dissipation upon charging and discharging, implying a continued evolution of electrolyte structure with extended cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuixia Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Pollutant Analysis & Reuse Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei 435002, China
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Yadong Zhou
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Yaobin Xu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Hao Jia
- Energy and Environmental Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Jumyeong Kim
- Energy and Environmental Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Wu Xu
- Energy and Environmental Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Chongmin Wang
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Peiyuan Gao
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Zihua Zhu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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10
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Feng G, Shi Y, Jia H, Risal S, Yang X, Ruchhoeft P, Shih WC, Fan Z, Xu W, Shan X. Progressive and instantaneous nature of lithium nucleation discovered by dynamic and operando imaging. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg6813. [PMID: 37224260 PMCID: PMC10208563 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of lithium (Li) nucleation and growth is important to design better electrodes for high-performance batteries. However, the study of Li nucleation process is still limited because of the lack of imaging tools that can provide information of the entire dynamic process. We developed and used an operando reflection interference microscope (RIM) that enables real-time imaging and tracking the Li nucleation dynamics at a single nanoparticle level. This dynamic and operando imaging platform provides us with critical capabilities to continuously monitor and study the Li nucleation process. We find that the formation of initial Li nuclei is not at the exact same time point, and Li nucleation process shows the properties of both progressive and instantaneous nucleation. In addition, the RIM allows us to track the individual Li nucleus's growth and extract spatially resolved overpotential map. The nonuniform overpotential map indicates that the localized electrochemical environments substantially influence the Li nucleation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangxia Feng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Yaping Shi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Hao Jia
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Samprash Risal
- Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Paul Ruchhoeft
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Wei-Chuan Shih
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Zheng Fan
- Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Wu Xu
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA
| | - Xiaonan Shan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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