Batteries are complex multicomponent devices. Their function and failure are governed by dynamic phenomena that couple electronic, chemical and structural transformations across multiple scales of time and space. As a consequence, understanding battery function and failure is a significant characterization challenge. Synchrotron light sources support a broad spectrum of advanced scattering, spectroscopic and imaging-based characterization tools that can probe many different facets of battery operation at the atomic, particle and electrode level. Through the development of new synchrotron-based experimental and analytical approaches based on Pair Distribution Function analysis of high energy X-ray scattering data we have been able to gain new insights into the structure of promising electrodes and electrolytes, with chemical sensitivity, across multiple length scales.

Probing function and failure in energy materials with hard X-ray tools

251st National Meeting (2016)

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