Quantifying Reaction and Rate Heterogeneity in Battery Electrodes in 3D through Operando X-ray Diffraction Computed Tomography.

In composite battery electrode architectures, local limitations in ionic and electronic transport can result in nonuniform energy storage reactions. Understanding such reaction heterogeneity is important to optimizing battery performance, including rate capability and mitigating degradation and failure. Here, we use spatially resolved X-ray diffraction computed tomography to map the reaction in a composite electrode based on the LiFePO active material as it undergoes charge and discharge.

Thermodynamic Overpotentials and Nucleation Rates for Electrodeposition on Metal Anodes.

Rechargeable batteries employing metal negative electrodes (i.e., anodes) are attractive next-generation energy storage devices because of their greater theoretical energy densities compared to intercalation-based anodes.

Electrochemical Stability Window of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids as Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries.

This paper presents the computational assessment of the electrochemical stability of a series of alkyl methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids for their use as lithium battery electrolytes. The oxidation and reduction potentials of the constituent cation and anion of each ionic liquid with respect to a Li(+)/Li reference electrode were calculated using density functional theory following the method of thermodynamic cycles, and the electrochemical stability windows (ESW)s of these ionic liquids were obtained. The effect of varying the length of alkyl side chains of the methylimidazolium-based cations on the redox potentials and ESWs was investigated.

A density functional theory based study of the electron transfer reaction at the cathode-electrolyte interface in lithium-air batteries.

The unique properties of ionic liquids such as a relatively wide electrochemical stability window and very low vapor pressure have made them promising candidates as electrolytes for improving the cyclic performance of lithium-air batteries. The local current density, which is an important parameter in determining the performance of lithium-air batteries, is a function of the rate constant of the electron transfer reactions at the surface of the cathode. In this study, a novel method based on Marcus theory is presented to investigate the effect of varying the length of the alkyl side chain of model imidazolium based cations and the operating temperature on the rates of electron transfer reactions at the cathode.