Surface Evolution of Lithium Titanate upon Electrochemical Cycling Using a Combination of Surface Specific Characterization Techniques

Abstract

Highly oriented thin‐film electrodes are the best playground to better understand the evolution of the electrode‐electrolyte interfaces during battery operation. This is crucial to develop next generation batteries. In this cover the authors represent Li ions (spheres) from the electrolyte (fog) reaching LTO electrode surface (SEM image) as in cell operation. More details can be found in article number 1902164 by Miguel Ángel Muñoz‐Márquez and co‐workers.

Different Oxygen Desorption Durabilities of Lithium Titanium Oxides as Confirmed by Transmission Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy Analysis of Li4Ti5O12 and β-Li2TiO3 Biphase Specimens

“…According to the above reaction, the Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 phase mostly alters its structure from spinel to disordered rock salt, which is well known to be the result of electron beam damage for specimens in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. − In the same manner, the β-Li 2 TiO 3 phase is also affected by the reduction reaction with oxygen desorption. , However, the oxygen desorption durability would be different from that of the Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 phase because of the different crystal structure and chemical formula. Comparing the oxygen desorption durabilities between β-Li 2 TiO 3 and Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 phases can assist in understanding the difference in material stability with respect to the crystal structure and chemical formula; however, this topic has not been thoroughly discussed in the literature.…”

Polymer-templated mesoporous lithium titanate microspheres for high-performance lithium batteries

“…Ideally, the absolute value of the peak ratio between anodic and cathodic current i p should be unity and the redox peak potential separation ∆E = E p,anodic − E p,cathodic should be constant for reversible reactions. Subtle differences in anodic and cathodic peak symmetries of pristine-sample CVs relative to post-cycling CVs are attributed to irreversible reaction products and to different conductivities of the Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and Li 7 Ti 5 O 12 phases51,52 caused by the conditioning of the cells. These irreversible products are also seen in theexplains the low interest recently.…”