In-situ TEM probing of lithium interfaces for solid-state batteries

Using Hummingbird Scientific’s in-situ TEM Biasing Manipulator holder, researchers at Toyota Research Institute of North America and the University of Pennsylvania devised an experiment in which air-sensitive lithium metal is brought in contact with novel solid-state electrolytes to observe the degradation mechanism during the lithium charge and discharge cycles. They observed dendrites and delamination of lithium metal upon reaction with lithium thiophosphate (LPS) electrolyte. However, when the same electrolyte is doped with lithium iodide, the dopant plays a protective role and prevents such degradation. This improves the lithium cycling capacity. The in-situ TEM manipulation and biasing capabilities can accelerate the fundamental understanding and microstructural evolution of nanostructured battery materials to develop better batteries.

Figure: In-situ probing of solid LPS electrolyte against lithium metal showing lithium dendritic growth and delamination during charge and discharge cycle.

Image Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society

Reference: Singh et al. Chem. Mater. 2020, 32, 17, 7150–7158.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b05286