Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2021, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (4): 1219-1236.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2021.0042

• Special Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress in understanding of lithium storage behavior and reaction mechanism of electrode materials through in situ transmission electron microscopy

Chengzhi KE1(), Bensheng XIAO1, Miao LI1, Jingyu LU3, Yang HE4, Li ZHANG2, Qiaobao ZHANG1()   

  1. 1.Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Materials, Xiamen University
    2.College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
    3.School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
    4.Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2021-01-28 Revised:2021-02-23 Online:2021-07-05 Published:2021-06-25
  • Contact: Qiaobao ZHANG E-mail:kechengzhiah@163.com;zhangqiaobao@xmu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Transport, reaction, and storage of Li ions in bulk electrode materials leads to the dynamic evolution of their electronic and crystal structures, microstructures, chemical compositions, and physical properties, which are the important determinants in the electrochemical performance of Li ion batteries. It is extremely important to understand the fundamental physical and chemical properties of electrode materials at a nanometer or even atomic scale to determine their microstructure, morphology, phase, and chemical composition during an electrochemical process. The structure-activity relationship between the electrode materials and macroscopic electrochemical performance of a battery must be considered. These require clear, precise, and advanced in situ characterizations. Among existing in situ characterization techniques, in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most representative and important methods to conduct these experiments. Its unique advantages include ultra-high spatial and temporal resolution and real-time, dynamic monitoring of the structure, morphology, phase and interface evolution of the electrode materials under the given working conditions. It can precisely evaluate the microscopic dynamic evolution behavior and the reaction mechanism of electrode materials, providing a microscopic basis and innovative ideas for the construction and performance regulation of high-performance electrode materials. In this study, we summarize important progress on in situ TEM investigations of the dynamic evolution and failure mechanism of key electrode materials in Li ion batteries during charge/discharge. These investigations include various cathode materials and high specific capacity anode materials, especially their dynamic evolutions in microstructure, chemical composition, and phases during an electrochemical process. Moreover, the current limitations of in situ TEM and future directions of in situ TEM investigation of secondary batteries are discussed.

Key words: electrode materials, lithium ion storage behavior, lithium ion storage mechanisms, in situ transmission electron microscopy, lithium ion batteries

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