Transmission X-ray microscopy-based three-dimensional XANES imaging.

Full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) in conjunction with X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy provides two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) morphological and chemical-specific information within samples at the tens of nanometer scale. This technique has a broad range of applications in materials sciences and battery research. Despite its extensive applicability, 2D XANES imaging is subject to the disadvantage of information overlap when the sample thickness is uneven.

Image registration for in situ X-ray nano-imaging of a composite battery cathode with deformation.

The structural and chemical evolution of battery electrodes at the nanoscale plays an important role in affecting the cell performance. Nano-resolution X-ray microscopy has been demonstrated as a powerful technique for characterizing the evolution of battery electrodes under operating conditions with sensitivity to their morphology, compositional distribution and redox heterogeneity. In real-world batteries, the electrode could deform upon battery operation, causing challenges for the image registration which is necessary for several experimental modalities, e.

A Parallel Bicomponent TPU/PI Membrane with Mechanical Strength Enhanced Isotropic Interfaces Used as Polymer Electrolyte for Lithium-Ion Battery.

In this work, a side-by-side bicomponent thermoplastic polyurethane/polyimide (TPU/PI) polymer electrolyte prepared with side-by-side electrospinning method is reported for the first time. Symmetrical TPU and PI co-occur on one fiber, and are connected by an interface transition layer formed by the interdiffusion of two solutions. This structure of the as-prepared TPU/PI polymer electrolyte can integrate the advantages of high thermal stable PI and good mechanical strength TPU, and mechanical strength is further increased by those isotropic interface transition layers.