Electron microscopy and spectroscopy resources for battery analysis and imaging

We are dedicated to providing you with the latest insights and information on electron microscopy imaging and analysis for batteries. We offer a wide range of valuable resources, including on-demand webinar recordings, interviews with key industry leaders, and application documents. Whether you are a seasoned industry professional or just starting out in the field, this is the perfect place to access the latest information and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies. From in-depth technical discussions to practical tips and advice, our resources are designed to help you navigate the complex world of battery research and production with ease. So, take some time to explore and discover all of the valuable resources we have to offer.

Battery analysis webinars

Watch on-demand: Visualizing Li-Metal Anode Battery Degradation

Dr. Katherine Jungjohann (NREL) together with Brandon van Leer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, present collaborative work on using the cryogenic transfer workflow with Thermo Scientific cryo-FIB-SEM tools to cross-section lithium metal anodes and intact coin cell batteries to observe the interfacial structures, lithium morphology, and failure mechanisms relative to changes in electrode contract pressure and electrolyte chemistry.

Watch on-demand: Advanced Characterization Methods of Electrochemical Materials and Interphases for Better Batteries

Dr. Ying Shirley Meng, Professor, University of Chicago, and Dr. Zhao Liu, Thermo Fisher Scientific, discuss how advanced characterization methods, such as cryogenic electron microscope techniques (cryo-EM/cryo-FIB) and plasma FIB-SEM, facilitate the understanding of battery materials (thick cathode, Li metal, solid state electrolyte) and interphases for better batteries.

Watch on-demand: Cryo- and in situ electron microscopy diagnosis-guided design of rechargeable battery materials for better batteries

In this webinar, Dr. Chongmin Wang, Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), together with Dr. Lin Jiang, Thermo Fisher Scientific, will talk on recent progress on using ex situ, in situ, in operando, and cryo-scanning transmission electron microscopy for probing into the structural and chemical evolution of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries such as Li and Si anodes.


Battery analysis brochures

Scanning electron microscopy for lithium battery research

An eBook focusing on use cases and application examples of SEM on battery manufacturing and research.

Advancing lithium battery research and development with DualBeam Technology

An eBbook showing how FIB-SEMs (DualBeam instruments) can be used to advance battery research and development with many application examples and use cases.

Analytical solutions for battery and energy storage technology

An overview eBook showing complete Thermo Scientific analytical instrument portfolio and use cases for battery and energy storage technologies.


Electron microscopy instruments for battery research and analysis

Apreo 2 SEM for battery research

Helios 5 PFIB CXe DualBeam for battery research

Talos F200X G2 (S)TEM for battery applications

Battery research by key opinion leaders in the field

Coupling of multiscale imaging analysis and computational modeling for understanding thick cathode degradation mechanisms

Publication in Joule showing how PFIB combined with Thermo Scientific Avizo Software can enable 2D and 3D imaging of large volumes. In this paper, a macro- to nanoscale 2D and 3D imaging analysis approach was coupled with 4D (space + time) computational modeling to probe degradation mechanisms in a lithium-ion battery cell.

Transition-metal interdiffusion and solid electrolyte poisoning in all-solid-state batteries revealed by cryo-TEM

Publication in Chemical Communications using the Thermo Scientific Inert Gas Sample Transfer (IGST) Workflow, together with a cryo-FIB and a TEM on full solid-state batteries. It demonstrates transition-metal dissolution from a layered Ni-rich oxide cathode material and subsequent diffusion into the bulk of a lithium thiophosphate solid electrolyte during electrochemical cycling. This problem has previously been considered only for liquid-electrolyte-based batteries.

Progressive growth of the solid–electrolyte interphase towards the Si anode interior causes capacity fading

Publication in Nature Nanotechnology using Thermo Scientific cryo-TEM-based techniques to reveal in three dimensions a correlated structural and chemical evolution of Si and SEI. Corroborated with a chemomechanical model, it is demonstrated that progressive electrolyte permeation and SEI can grow along the percolation channel of the nanovoids due to vacancy injection and condensation during the delithiation process.


Battery analysis videos


Thermo Fisher Scientific battery events

Applications and use cases of battery analysis

Challenge

Technologies

Solution

Resources

Avoid contamination of air-, moisture-, and/or beam-sensitive battery samples during preparation and sample transfer

IGST workflow:

DualBeam, SEM/Desktop SEM (in glove box), TEM, Avizo, CleanConnect

Complete workflow to enable sample characterization of sensitive battery materials in their native state without contamination

Brochure: Seamless inert gas sample transfer workflow

Datasheet: CleanConnect Sample Transfer System

App note: Benefits of the Phenom XL G2 Desktop SEM's argon compatibility for lithium battery research

Detection of lithium is difficult using SEM, EDS, and TEM

TOF-SIMS

Accurately detect and map lithium in battery samples in 2D and 3D down to 10 ppm

App note: Ion spectroscopy using TOF-SIMS on a Thermo Scientific Helios DualBeam

TEM

iDPC technology can clearly image light elements like lithium at atomic scale

App note: Integrated Differential Phase Contrast on Talos S/TEM

Characterize battery structure at different scales beyond the capacity of a single instrument

CT, SEM, Raman, DualBeam, Avizo, EDS

Correlative workflow allowing multiscale imaging and analysis of battery microstructure

App note: Multiscale image-based control and characterization of lithium-ion batteries

App note: Multiscale 3D imaging solutions for Li-ion batteries

Prepare a large 2D area on the sample surface with high polishing quality for 2D imaging and characterization

DualBeam (Plasma FIB-SEM), EDS

High-throughput automated spin mill with high surface quality

App note: Large area automated sample preparation for batteries

SEM, CleanMill

CleanMill offers a dedicated workflow for air-sensitive samples, an ultra-high energy ion gun for fast polishing, and a cryogenic function to protect sample integrity

Datasheet: CleanConnect Sample Transfer System

Characterize key microstructure properties (like tortuosity) for electrode structure performance correlations

DualBeam, EDS, TOF-SIMS, Avizo

3D characterization of battery structure

·    Hardware to image 3D battery structure at different scales

·    Software to automate 3D imaging data collection

·    Thermo Scientific Avizo Software workflow for image analysis and quantification

Blog post/video: Advancing lithium-ion battery technology with 3D imaging

App note: Multiscale image-based control and characterization of lithium-ion batteries

Characterize beam-sensitive materials like SEI at nanoscale

TEM, EDS, Avizo

Nano- and atomic-scale characterization of energy materials

·    Cryo-EM workflow for accurate data collection with superior EDS performance

·    Avizo Software for structure quantification and visualization

Brochure: Analytical solutions for battery and energy storage technology

Webinar: Cryo- and in situ electron microscopy diagnosis-guided design of rechargeable battery materials for better batteries

Webinar: Advanced characterization methods of electrochemical materials and interphases for better batteries

In situ kinetic analysis (like heating) via electron microscope

SEM

Multiple in situ heating stage choices with integrated software for Thermo Scientific SEMs to understand cathode synthesis mechanisms

Brochure: Scanning electron microscopy for lithium battery research

Characterize beam-sensitive separator samples without damage

SEM/SDB

Superior low-KeV imaging and a cryo-FIB milling solution allow characterization of separator microstructure in 2D and 3D

App note: Strategies for accurate imaging on battery separator structure

Probe intrinsic SEI within a coin cell via electron microscopy

Laser Plasma FIB

High-energy, high-milling rate laser enables direct cross-section milling to understand Li-metal cell degradation mechanism

Webinar: Visualizing Li-metal anode battery degradation

Understand stoichiometry of solid electrolyte film as a function of depth

XPS

XPS depth profiling can quantify elements at each depth

Webinar: Understanding surface reactions of the solid electrolyte interface via advanced characterization techniques

Measure electrode surface chemistry

XPS

XPS can quantify the chemical states present at the electrode surface

App note: Analysis of electrode materials for lithium ion batteries

Track the evolution of the SEI layer

XPS

Materials can be depth profiled using XPS and a cluster ion source to follow the development of the SEI layer after cycling

Advancing battery technology

In situ electrode cycling

XPS

Electrodes can be operated in situ to monitor spectral changes as they are charged and discharged

Monitoring the Behavior of Na Ions and Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation at an Aluminum/Ionic Liquid Electrode/Electrolyte Interface via Operando Electrochemical X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Profile battery components ex situ without missing point-to-point variability across an area

Raman

Raman microscopy can be used to look at changes to materials and distributions of components that occurred during use or testing

App note: Ex situ Raman analysis of Li-ion batteries

Identify phases and determine structures in anodes and cathodes

Raman

Raman microscopy can visually show the spatial distribution of different phases of the same material with different performance characteristics

App note: Raman analysis of lithium-ion batteries – Part I: Cathodes

App note: Raman analysis of lithium-ion batteries – Part II: Anodes

XRD

XRD can help to identify and quantify specific polymorphic structures of interest to increase yield and efficiency

Brochure: ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometers

Trace and map anode composition across charge and discharge cycles

Raman

Raman microscopy can be used for in situ monitoring of changes on electrode surfaces during charge/discharge cycles

App note: In situ Raman analysis of Li-ion batteries

Confirm the presence of specific carbon allotropes as anode components and in hybrid materials

Raman

Raman spectroscopy is particularly adept at the analysis of allotropes of carbon, including carbon in hybrid materials

App note: Raman analysis of lithium-ion batteries – Part II: Anodes

Understand the association of ionic species and distribution of components in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs)

Raman

Raman microscopy can be used to visualize the spatial distribution of components in SPEs and indicate ionic associations

App note: Raman analysis of lithium-ion batteries – Part III: Electrolytes

Study crystallinity, stability, and reactivity in battery materials

XRD

X-ray diffraction can determine the percentage of crystallinity vs amorphous content of the active material, as well as structural stability and repeatability in real time

Brochure: ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometers

Follow charge/discharge reactions in situ

XRD

During charge/discharge, the cathode and anode of every battery cell undergo changes. XRD allows you to follow the changing phase composition and the evolution of the crystalline structure

Webinar: Drill down to microstructures with XRD

Abbreviations: Avizo = Avizo Software; CT = Computed tomography; DualBeam = Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM); EDS = Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; FIB = Focused ion beam; FTIR = Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; iDPC = Integrated differential phase contrast; IGST = Inert sample gas transfer; SDB = Small DualBeam; SEI = Solid electrolyte interface; SEM = Scanning electron microscopy; SPE = Solid polymer electrolytes; TEM = Transmission electron microscopy; TOF-SIMS = Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry; XPS = X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; XRD = X-ray diffraction.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.