Lithium titanate (LTO) is one of the most promising anode materials for large-scale stationary electrochemical storage of energy produced from renewable sources. Besides many other aspects, such as negligible formation of passivation layers and no volume expansion during lithiation, the success of LTO is mainly based on its ability to easily accommodate and release Li ions in a fully reversible way. This feature is tightly connected with Li self-diffusion. As yet, little information is available about microscopic Li diffusion properties and elementary steps of Li hopping at low intercalation levels, i.e., at values of x being significantly smaller than 1. Here, we used 7Li spin-locking NMR relaxometry to probe absolute hopping rates of LTO (homogeneous) solid solutions in quasi-thermodynamic equilibrium. As a result, the largest increase of Li diffusivity is observed when small amounts of Li are inserted. Strong Coulomb repulsions caused by the simultaneous occupation of neighboring 8a and 16c sites serve as an explanation for the enhanced Li diffusivity found. At even larger values of x, Li mobility slows down but is still much faster than in the host material with x = 0. Our results experimentally corroborate the outcome of recently published calculations on the DFT level focusing on both dynamic and structural aspects. The findings favor the formation of LTO solid solutions upon chemical lithiation; the steep increase in Li diffusivity found might also help with understanding the flat insertion potential observed.

The long-term performance of commercial lithium-ion batteries used in today's electric vehicles is of utmost importance for automotive requirements. Here, we use Tesla's 18650 cells manufactured by Panasonic to elucidate the origins of capacity fading and impedance increase during both calendar and cycle aging. Full cell testing is systematically carried out at three different temperatures (25 • C, 40 • C, 60 • C). The cells are galvanostatically cycled at different C-rates (0.33 C -1 C) and calendar aging is monitored at 4 different state-of-charges (SOC). Operation at high temperatures turns out to have the largest effect on both the capacity and direct current (DC) impedance. As an example, after 500 cycles at 25 • C and 40 • C capacity fading is approximately 12%, while at 60 • C the fading reaches 22%. Our DC impedance measurements reveal the same trend. Post mortem analysis indicate that aging is strongly related to changes of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Hence, the changes in performance are correlated with the change in composition (and thickness) of the SEI formed. In particular, we quantitatively measure the formation of electrically insulating LiF and find a correlation between overall DC impedance of the cells and lithium fluoride of the SEI. For years to come, Li-ion batteries are considered as one of the most attractive energy storage devices for electric vehicles. They benefit from a high specific energy density combined with a good cycle life. In order to further enhance conventional lithium-ion technology it is necessary to develop new materials and to improve existing battery concepts including, e.g., also the ways how cells are fabricated on an industrial scale. In particular, the latter includes aging studies on commercially available batteries. Such studies are essential for predicting the practical lifetime of the batteries and for assisting in identifying the main failure mechanisms that may, for example, involve lithium plating, passivating surface films properties, co-intercalation, dissolution or electrochemical re-plating of metal ions.In particular, for automotive applications, where long cycle and calendar life is indispensable, accurate knowledge about the origins of battery aging is a major point of interest since it helps predict the operational lifetime of the systems. Understanding and identifying the main failure mechanisms, induced by certain operating conditions, would be a significant step forward in terms of reliability and lifetime costs of electric vehicles. Due to the fact that battery aging is a very complex matter, which is sensitively influenced by many factors such as temperature, storage and operating conditions as well as the types of active materials or electrolytes used, the variety of studies that focused on different aging phenomena is immense. Studies range from detailed material and component tests, e.g., on electrolytes, anodes and cathodes used, to investigations on fully commercial systems. As early as 1979 Peled 1,2 introduced the idea of the f...

Silicon-based microelectronics forms a major foundation of our modern society. Small lithium-ion batteries act as the key enablers of its success and have revolutionised portable electronics used in our all everyday’s life. While large-scale LIBs are expected to help establish electric vehicles, on the other end of device size chip-integrated Si-based μ-batteries may revolutionise microelectronics once more. In general, Si is regarded as one of the white hopes since it offers energy densities being ten times higher than conventional anode materials. The use of monocrystalline, wafer-grade Si, however, requires several hurdles to be overcome since it its volume largely expands during lithiation. Here, we will show how 3D patterned Si wafers, prepared by the sophisticated techniques from semiconductor industry, are to be electrochemically activated to overcome these limitations and to leverage their full potential being reflected in stable charge capacities (>1000 mAhg–1) and high Coulomb efficiencies (98.8%).

Silicon is a promising high-capacity host material for negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries with low potential for the lithiation/delithiation reaction that is outside the stability window of organic carbonate electrolytes. Thus, the use of such electrodes critically depends on the formation of a protective solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) from the decomposition products of electrolyte components. Due to the large volume change upon charging, exposure of the electrode material to the electrolyte must be expected, and facile reformation of SEI is a scope for improving the stabilities of such electrodes. Here, we report the formation of incipient SEI layers on monocrystalline silicon by in situ imaging of their passivating properties using scanning electrochemical microscopy after potentiodynamic charging to different final potentials. The images show a local initiation of the SEI growth at potentials of around 1.0 V vs Li/Li+ in 1 M LiClO4 in propylene carbonate.

Silicon is one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-based rechargeable batteries. Provided the volume changes during Li uptake can be brought under control, Li ion diffusivity is expected to crucially determine the performance of such next-generation energy storage systems. Therefore, studying diffusion properties in e.g. amorphous Li–Si underpins applied research that is being directed toward the development of powerful storage devices. So far, only little information is available on Li+ self-diffusion in amorphous Si. Here, we used 7Li NMR spectroscopy to precisely quantify microscopic activation energies and Li jump rates in amorphous Li–Si which is primarily formed if monocrystalline Si is lithiated electrochemically. Surprisingly, our results reveal relatively fast Li ion diffusivity with low activation energies for localized Li+ motions being in agreement with results from theory. The average activation energy for long-range ion transport is as high as ca. 0.65 eV; jump rates turn out to be in the order of 2.5 × 105 s–1 at 246 K. Our results point to complex dynamics that is most likely governed by nonexponential motional correlation functions originating from a distribution of activation energies. The data obtained might help optimizing Li-based silicon batteries whose performance critically depend on fast Li ion transport.

Silicon is considered as one of the promising alternatives to graphite as negative electrode material in lithium-ion batteries. The electron transfer at uncharged microstructured and planar Si was characterized using the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene as redox mediator. Approach curves and images demonstrate that the electron transfer rate constants at pristine Si are relatively small due to the native SiO 2 surface layer. In addition, the electron transfer rate constants show local variations because of the heterogeneous coverage of SiO 2 . The SiO 2 layer is at least partially removed by mechanical contact and abrasion with the microelectrode probe. After SiO 2 removal by the microelectrode or by a hydrofluoric acid dip, the electron transfer rate constants increase strongly and remain heterogeneous. Moreover, the surface of the Si electrodes is at least stable over hours after SiO 2 removal. The consequences for investigating the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on Si are discussed. Silicon is considered as one of the promising alternatives to graphite as negative electrode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This is due to its wide abundance, low voltage and high theoretical gravimetric capacity of 3579 mAh g −1 .1 During the lithiation, the electrochemical potential of the Si electrode exceeds the stability window of the electrolyte and, consequently, the electrolyte is reductively decomposed.2 The decomposition products form a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) covering the Si material lying beneath.3 A major challenge of Si as negative battery electrodes is the large volume change of ca. 270% 4 upon lithiation. Recurring lithiation/delithiation causes the electrode material to crack leading, in the worst case, to irreversible loss of active material. During the volume expansion non-passivated Si surfaces are expected to be exposed which are immediately covered by a SEI layer because of ongoing electrolyte decomposition. 5 Thus, similar to metallic Li electrodes the SEI layer is continuously re-formed and remains instable during each lithiation process. 6 The properties of the SEI are important for the performance of Si negative electrodes. 5,7 In order to evaluate the Si electrode performance, reliable in situ characterization of the SEI is definitely a key issue for the progress in this field. In general, scanning probe techniques are frequently applied for various aspects of battery research. 8,9 Especially atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to characterize in situ and ex situ the SEI at amorphous Si (a-Si) thin films, [10][11][12][13][14] Si-based thin films, 11,15 a-Si nanopillars 16 and Si nanowires. 17,18 AFM provides information about the morphology evolution and physical properties of the SEI. The present study aims at characterizing the functional properties of Si electrodes in situ by the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), which probes the local electron transfer ra...

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