Applications of atomic force microscopy in lithium ion batteries research

doi:10.12028/j.issn.2095-4239.2018.0189

Abstract

Abstract: Li-ion batteries are the most popular portable power source in modern life and promises a broad range of application field, because of its advantages of high energy density, long cycle life, safety, and so on. In order to further improve lithium ion battery and promote its practical process, the study of electrode reaction mechanism is necessary. Atomic force microscope (AFM) can detect the micromorphology of the electrode surface in real time by the interaction between the tip atom and the electrode surface atom. The physical and chemical information of electrode surface is provided on nanometer scale, which provides experimental basis for the optimization modification of electrode material and electrolyte. In this paper, the latest applications of AFM in Li-ion batteries are reviewed, including the morphology changes of electrode materials under electrochemical reaction conditions, nano-mechanical properties and electrical properties, etc. It is concluded that AFM will further promote the research progress of lithium ion batteries.

Key words: atomic force microscope, lithium ion batteries, solid electrolyte interface, anode materials, cathode materials

CLC Number:

TM911

GAO Xiang, ZHU Zirui. Applications of atomic force microscopy in lithium ion batteries research[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2019, 8(1): 75-82.

References

[1] 罗倩, 巢亚军, 渠冰, 等. 锂离子电池中SEI膜的研究方法[J]. 电源技术, 2015, 39(5):1086-1090. LUO Q, CHAO Y J, QU B, et al. Research technologies of solid electrolyte interphase in Li-ion batteries[J]. Chinese Journal of Power Sources, 2015, 39(5):1086-1090.
[2] BINNIG G, ROHRER H. Scaning tunneling microscope[J]. Helvetica, 1982, 55(4):726-729.
[3] BINNIG G, ROHRER H, GERBER C, et al. Surface studies by scanning tunneling microscope[J]. Phys. Rev. Lett., 1982, 49(1):57-61.
[4] BINNIG G, ROHRER H, GERBER C, et al. 7×7 Reconstruction on Si(111) resolved in real space[J]. Phys. Rev. Lett., 1983, 50(2):120-123.
[5] 白春礼. 扫描隧道显微术及其应用[M]. 上海:上海科学技术出版社, 1994. BAI C L. Scanning tunneling microscopy and its application[M]. Shanghai:Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers, 1994.
[6] BINNIG G, QUATE C F, GERBER C, et al. Atomic force microscope[J]. Phys. Rev. Lett., 1986, 56(9):930-933.
[7] 于凉云, 张奇, 袁淑军. 原子力显微镜(AFM)应用于纳米科学中的研究进展[J]. 山东化工, 2016, 45(24):39-43. YU L Y, ZHANG Q, YUAN S J. A review of atomic force microscopy applied in nanoscience[J]. Shandong Chemical Industry, 2016, 45(24):39-43.
[8] 刘波, 马立, 谢炜, 等. 原子力显微镜技术在细胞研究中的进展[J]. 微纳电子技术, 2013, 50(4):248-254. LIU B, MA L, XIE W, et al. Progress of AFM technology in the study of cells[J]. Micronanoelectronic Technology, 2013, 50(4):248-254.
[9] 马梦佳, 陈玉云, 闫志强, 等. 原子力显微镜在纳米生物材料研究中的应用[J]. 化学进展, 2013, 25(1):135-144. MA M J, CHEN Y Y, YAN Z Q, et al. Applications of atomic force microscopy in nanobiomaterials research[J]. Progress in Chemistry, 2013, 25(1):135-144.
[10] 葛小鹏, 汤鸿霄, 王东升, 等. 原子力显微镜在环境样品研究与表征中的应用与展望[J]. 环境科学学报, 2005, 25(1):5-16. GE X P, TANG H X, WANG D S, et al. Atomic force microscopy and its application in the characterization of environmental samples[J]. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae, 2005, 25(1):5-17
[11] ALESSANDRINI A, FACCI P. AFM:A versatile tool in biophysics[J]. Meas. Sci. Technol., 2005, 16(6):65-92.
[12] HUANG L, SU C M. A tosional resonance mode AFM for in-plane tip surface interactions[J]. Ultramicroscopy, 2004, 100(3):277-285.
[13] KASAI T, BHUSHAN B, HUANG L, et al. Topography and phase imaging using the torsional resonance mode[J]. Nanotechnology, 2004, 15(7):doi:10.1088/0957-4484/1517/004.
[14] LIU G F, LIU J, SUN H, et al. In situ imaging of on-surface solvent-free molecular single-crystal growth[J]. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137(15):4972-4975.
[15] LUO D, YANG F, WANG X, et al. Anisotropic etching of graphite flakes with water vapor to produce armchair-edged graphene[J]. Small, 2014, 14(10):2809-2814.
[16] LUCAS I T, POLLAK E, KOSTECKI R. In situ AFM studies of SEI formation at a Sn electrode[J]. Electrochem. Commun., 2009, 11(11):2157-2160.
[17] LIU X R, DENG X, LIU R R, et al. Single nanowire electrode electrochemistry of silicon anode by in situ atomic force microscopy:Solid electrolyte interphase growth and mechanical properties[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2014, 6(22):20317-20323.
[18] KUMAR R, TOKRANOV A, SHELDON B W, et al. In situ and operando investigations of failure mechanisms of the solid electrolyte interphase on silicon electrodes[J]. ACS Energy Lett., 2016, 1(4):689-697.
[19] STEINHAUER M, STICH M, KURNIAWAN M, et al. In situ studies of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on crystalline carbon surfaces by neutron reflectometry and atomic force microscopy[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2017, 9:35794-35801.
[20] LIU X R, WANG L, WAN L J, et al. In situ observation of electrolyte-concentration-dependent solid electrolyte interphase on graphite in dimethyl sulfoxide[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, 7(18):9573-9580.
[21] LIU X R, YAN H J, WANG D, et al. In situ AFM investigation of interfacial morphology of single crystal silicon wafer anode[J]. Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin, 2016, 32(1):283-289.
[22] XU W L, VEGUNTA S S, FLAKE J C, et al. Surface-modified silicon nanowire anodes for lithium-ion batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2011, 196(20):8583-8589.
[23] ZHANG J, WANG R, YANG X C, et al. Direct observation of inhomogeneous solid electrolyte interphase on MnO anode with atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy[J]. Nano Let., 2012, 12(4):2153-2157.
[24] SHIN H, PARK J, HAN S, et al, Component-/structure-dependent elasticity of solid electrolyte interphase layer in Li-ion batteries:Experimental and computational studies[J]. J. Power Sources, 2015, 277:169-179.
[25] ZHENG J Y, ZHENG H, WANG R, et al. 3D visualization of inhomogeneous multi-layered structure and Young's modulus of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on silicon anodes for lithium ion batteries[J]. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2014(16):13229-13238.
[26] KITTA M, SANO H. Real-time observation of Li deposition on a Li electrode with operand atomic force microscopy and surface mechanical imaging[J]. Langmuir, 2017, 33(8):1861-1866.
[27] BECKER C R, PROKES S M, LOVE C T. Enhanced lithiation cycle stability of ALD-coated confined a Si microstructures determined using in situ AFM[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2016, 8(1):530-537.
[28] MOGI R, INABA M, JEONG S K, et al. Effects of some organic additives on lithium deposition in propylene carbonate[J]. J. Electrochem. Soc., 2002, 149(12):A1578-A1583.
[29] BECKER C R, STRAWHECKER K E, MCALLISTER Q P, et al. In situ atomic force microscopy of lithiation and delithiation of silicon nanostructures for lithium ion batteries[J]. ACS Nano, 2013, 7(10):9173-9182.
[30] BREITUNG B, BAUMANN P, SOMMER H, et al. In situ and operando atomic force microscopy of high-capacity nano-silicon based electrodes for lithium-ion batteries[J]. Nanoscale, 2016, 8(29):14048-14056.
[31] DOMI Y, OCHIDA M, TSUBOUCHI S, et al. In situ AFM study of surface film formation on the edge plane of HOPG for lithiumion batteries[J]. J. Phys. Chem. C, 2011(115):25484-25489.
[32] HUANG S Q, WANG S W, HU G H, et al. Modulation of solid electrolyte interphase of lithium-ion batteries by LiDFOB and LiBOB electrolyte additives[J]. App. Surf. Sci., 2018, 441(31):265-271.
[33] VERDE M G, BAGGETTO L, BALKE N, et al. Elucidating the phase transformation of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ lithiation at the nanoscale[J]. ACS Nano, 2016, 10(4):4312-4321.
[34] RAMDON S, BHUSHAN B. High resolution morphology and electrical characterization of aged Li-ion battery cathode[J]. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2012, 380(1):187-191.
[35] DEMIROCAK D E, BHUSHAN B. In situ atomic force microscopy analysis of morphology and particle size changes in lithium iron phosphate cathode during discharge[J]. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2014, 423(6):151-157.
[36] PARK J, KALNAUS S, HAN S, et al. In situ atomic force microscopy studies on lithium (de) intercalation-induced morphology changes in Li_xCoO₂ micro-machined thin film electrodes[J]. J. Power Sources, 2013, 222:417-425.
[37] VIDU R, QUINLAN F T, STROEVE P. Use of in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) to monitor cathode surface reaction in organic electrolyte[J]. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2002, 41(25):6546-6554.
[38] LU W, ZHANG J S, XU J J, et al. In situ visualized cathode electrolyte interphase on LiCoO₂ in high voltage cycling[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2017, 9(22):19313-19318.
[39] KANNAN A, RABENBERG L, MANTHIRAM A. High capacity surface-modified LiCoO₂ cathodes for lithium-ion batteries[J]. Electrochem. Solid-State Lett., 2003, 6(1):A16-A18.
[40] KIM Y J, KIM H, KIM B, et al. Electrochemical stability of thin-film LiCoO₂ cathodes by aluminum-oxide coating[J]. Chem. Mater., 2003, 15(7):1505-1511.
[41] YAO W T, LONG F, SHAHBAZIAN-YASSAR R. Localized mechanical stress induced ionic redistribution in a layered LiCoO₂ cathode[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2016, 8(43):29391-29399.
[42] SHIM J H, LEE K S, MISSYUL A, et al. Characterization of spinel Li_xCo₂O₄-coated LiCoO₂ prepared with post-thermal treatment as a cathode material for lithium ion batteries[J]. Chem. Mater., 2015, 27(9):3273-3279.
[43] LIANG J Y, ZENG X X, ZHANG X D, et al. Mitigating interfacial potential drop of cathode-solid electrolyte via ionic conductor layer to enhance interface dynamics for solid batteries[J]. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140(22):6767-6770.
[44] NAGPURE S C, BHUSHAN B, BABU S, et al. Scanning spreading resistance characterization of aged Li-ion batteries using atomic force microscopy[J]. Scripta Mater., 2009, 60(11):933-936.
[45] MASCARO A, WANG Z, HOVINGTON P, et al. Measuring spatially resolved collective ionic transport on lithium battery cathodes using atomic force microscopy[J]. Nano Lett., 2017, 17(7):4489-4496.
[46] WU J X, YANG S, CAI W, et al. Multi-characterization of LiCoO₂ cathode films using advanced AFM-based techniques with high resolution[J]. Sci. Rep., 2017, 7(1):11164-11172.