Interfaces play a critical role in the properties and lifetime of current generation and advanced batteries. However, detailed characterization of the critical interfaces during battery operation which can enable performance improvements and improved design has been a significant challenge requiring innovative technique development and creative experiments. This paper describes ways that information from a range of microscopy, spectroscopy, and spectrometry tools can be used to address important challenges associated with energy storage science and technology, in particular the development of advanced batteries for consumer use, transportation, and renewable storage. Expanding the types of measurements that can be made on operational model batteries has significantly expanded the type and quality of information that can be obtained. This paper first shows examples of approaches being used to collect in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), secondary ion mass spectrometry and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data.The final section of the paper briefly shows two examples: the use of in situ XPS to examine solid-electrolyte interphase layers and a multimodal chemical imaging approach, including scanning TEM, atom probe tomography, scanning transmission x-ray microscopy, and x-ray adsorption near edge spectroscopy to understand the nanostructure and improve the performance of layered lithium transition metal oxide cathodes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.