Researchers at McGill University and the University of Quebec in Montreal have developed a method allowing researchers to track the physical processes within battery cells. The discovery sheds new light on factors influencing lithium-ion battery charge and discharge rates.
In the study, published in Joule, researchers utilized highly concentrated X-rays to peer inside lithium-ion cells and found that the X-rays could map changes in lithium concentrations in real-time as the batteries are charging or discharging. For the first time, they were able to observe changes in the physical properties that take place not only in the solid parts of the battery but also within the liquid electrolytes.
"As a Li-ion battery charges or discharges, lithium travels inside the cell in both a liquid electrolyte and a solid active material, and how fast this happens generally depends on how fast the lithium can move from one side of the cell to the other through both these phases," said Jeremy Dawkins, Ph.D. student. "This work is the first report of a method that can map lithium in both the solution and solid phase of a Li-ion battery during the operation of the battery, allowing us to quantify the performance of a cell at the molecular level."
The methods could lead to an increase in the fast charging capabilities of Li-ion batteries in the future. "This work is interesting because it provides a substantial new tool for researchers to study Li-ion battery performance, and it opens a lot of doors that were previously closed off," said Dawkins "We hope it will lead to accelerated battery research, for example, by obtaining superior electrode architectures much sooner. This could translate to better performance of the batteries we use every day."
The findings could have far-reaching implications for many battery researchers. Many of the world's most essential or widely used electronics rely on lithium batteries and the development of novel fast-charging technologies could change the way these batteries are utilized.