Laboratory-based X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy on a Working Pouch Cell Battery at Industrially-Relevant Charging Rates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that laboratory-based X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) can be used for operando analysis of lithium-ion batteries at industrial charging rates, enabling faster material discovery and better understanding of cell behavior.

Contribution

It introduces the application of laboratory-based XAFS for real-time operando studies of pouch cells at relevant charging rates, overcoming reliance on synchrotron sources.

Findings

Laboratory XAFS can be used for operando LIB studies.

Operando analysis at industrial charging rates is feasible.

Enhanced understanding of charge transfer and structural changes.

Abstract

Li-ion battery (LIB) research has continuing importance for the entire range of applications from consumer products to vehicle electrification and grid stabilization. In many cases, standard electrochemical methods only provide an overall voltage or specific capacity, giving an inadequate description of parallel redox processes or chemical gradients at the particle and pack level. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) is frequently used to augment bulk electrochemical data, as it provides element-specific changes in oxidation state and local atomic structure. Such microscopic descriptors are crucial for elucidating charge transfer and structural changes associated with bonding or site mixing, two key factors in evaluating state of charge and modes of cell failure. However, the impact of XAFS on LIB research has been significantly constrained by a logistical barrier: contemporary XAFS work is performed almost exclusively at synchrotron x-ray light sources, where beamtime is infrequent and experiment time-frames are limited. Here we show that modern laboratory based XAFS can not only be applied to, e.g., characterization of ex situ LIB electrode materials, but can also be used for operando studies at industrially-relevant charging rates in a standard pouch cell preparation. Such capability enables accelerated discovery of new materials and improved operation modes for LIBs.