Insights into Battery Systems using In-situ and Operando Characterization Methods

Electrochemical energy storage systems, specifically batteries, have become a key component in our society. As demand increases for electric vehicles, and integration of intermittent renewable energy sources, so does the need for high performing, reliable, and cost-effective battery systems to power the applications. Further, as the applications evolve demands for advances in the technology place new requirements on future generations of batteries.<br/>Batteries are highly researched and ex situ measurements on components outside of the functional environment have been a standard approach for decades. However, these are often ultimately destructive techniques that risk distortion of the original chemical environment and do not capture kinetic phenomena. More recently, in situ characterization on a system in a functioning environment but inactive during the measurement and operando measurements during system operation have become more prevalent with the potential to yield unprecedented mechanistic insights. The appeal of these approaches is evidenced by a ~350% increase in publications regarding ‘‘batteries and operando’’ techniques over the past 5 years. Further, coupling the time dimension with spatial resolution, in situ and operando characterization over multiple length scales and time domains becomes a powerful approach.<br/>The research presented will provide case studies of in situ and operando techniques including the use of synchrotron methods applied to several battery systems. The complementary insights gained from the multiple characterization approaches used will be highlighted in terms of insight into functional electrochemistry.