In Situ X-Ray Diffraction Studies on Lithium-Ion and Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

The performance of lithium batteries is mainly determined by the microstructure of cathode, electrolyte, anode materials, and the solid electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The further advancement in batteries requires an in-depth understanding of the complex chemical reactions, phase transformations, and charge transfer. X-ray diffraction study is a powerful tool for directly visualizing these complex processes at different scales, providing information on the structural evolution, redox mechanism, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, and Li-ion transport properties during the charge-discharge process. Beyond lithium-ion, systems such as lithium-air/O2, lithium-sulfur, and sodium-ion batteries are considered as potential alternatives to the state-of-the-lithium-ion batteries. The recent advancements in the characterization of sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur battery systems have also been discussed. Finally, the remained challenges and perspectives in the characterization of battery materials are also presented.