Probing the Liquid Solid Interfaces of 2D SnSe MXene Battery Anodes at the Nanoscale

TL;DR

This study employs cryogenic FIB and APT techniques to investigate nanoscale degradation mechanisms in SnSe MXene anodes, revealing phase transformations, material dissolution, and copper migration that impact battery performance.

Contribution

It introduces a cryogenic workflow combining FIB and APT to analyze beam-sensitive battery materials, uncovering degradation processes at the nanoscale.

Findings

Identification of phase transformations during cycling

Detection of copper ion migration from current collector

Observation of material dissolution and morphological changes

Abstract

Understanding degradation processes in lithium ion batteries is essential for improving long term performance and advancing sustainable energy technologies. Tin selenide (SnSe) has emerged as a promising anode material due to the high theoretical capacity of tin. Unlike conventional intercalation based electrodes, SnSe undergoes conversion and alloying reactions with lithium to form Li4.4Sn, Sn, and Li2Se, enabling high lithium storage but inducing large volume changes that cause mechanical instability and capacity fading. Embedding SnSe nanoparticles within a Ti3C2Tx MXene framework offers a strategy to mitigate these effects by enhancing conductivity and structural resilience. Here, cryogenic focused ion beam (cryo FIB) slice and view revealed progressive material redistribution and morphological transformation during cycling, underscoring the need for site specific chemical analysis. Cryogenic atom probe tomography (cryo APT) of selected regions provided high spatial and chemical resolution while preserving beam sensitive phases, uncovering nanoscale degradation mechanisms including phase transformations, partial dissolution of active material, and, importantly, the first direct evidence of copper corrosion and copper ion migration from the current collector into the electrode. The observation of copper redistribution demonstrates that current collector degradation contributes directly to chemical contamination and capacity fading in composite electrodes. Together, cryo FIB and cryo APT provide a powerful workflow for elucidating electrode degradation in reactive, beam sensitive systems, offering critical insights for designing more durable and stable next generation battery materials.