Correlating advanced microscopies reveals atomic-scale mechanisms limiting lithium-ion battery lifetime.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34145297.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-24121-9 and PMC identifier 8213749.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The longevity of a lithium-ion battery is limited by cathode degradation. Combining atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that the degradation results from atomic-scale irreversible structural changes once lithium leaves the cathode during charging, thereby inhibiting lithium intercalation back into the cathode as the battery discharges. This information unveils possible routes for improving the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries.