Understanding The Dynamics of Electrodes (Crystalline and Amorphous) and Interphases in Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries are complicated systems of electrodes and electrolytes. The inherent thermodynamic instability between the electrode and the electrolyte frequently results in the formation of an interphase. Understanding the dynamics of the electrodes and this interphase during battery operation is pivotal to advancing battery technologies. However, several challenges render the characterization process particularly daunting: 1. the processes can be far from equilibrium, making them unpredictable through traditional methods like phase diagrams; 2. instead of a well-defined crystalline structure, the electrode may assume an amorphous form, complicating our understanding; 3. the interphase exists in extremely trace amount, making its observation and study very demanding. We will discuss how we address these challenges using synchrotron-based scattering tools.