Multifunctional Plasmonic Imaging and Spectrometry System for in-operando Study of Battery Interfacial Reactions
Abstract
Overview. Chemical reactions across battery interfaces are extremely complicated due to the compositional and structural heterogeneities. Traditional techniques only provide rich information at a particular point in time or lack of spatial resolution during the reaction. There is a compelling need to advance our ability to observe the dynamic and complex processes occurring at interfaces of vital interest, e.g., battery reactions, in order to elucidate complex chemical behaviors, unravel fundamental reaction principles, improve the reaction efficiency, and thereby help improve safety and energy density of the battery. Research Objective. The overarching goal of this project is to establish a multifunctional plasmonic imaging and spectrometry system (MuPIS) for in-operando study of interfacial reactions in batteries; and use this system to: fundamentally understand the dynamics of the SEI formation, growth, and accumulation; study the correlation between the SEI and Li nucleation, and minimize the Li dendrite formation by adjusting and optimizing the electrolyte compositions. We hypothesize that the properties of SEI, including the thickness, uniformity, and chemical compositions, and their dynamic changes during the reactions, will determine the Li nucleation and dendrite formation; and by controlling the SEI layer?s properties using different electrolytes and additives combinations, we can minimize the Li dendrite formations. To achieve this goal, we propose to develop a next-generation data-driven in-operando characterization platform that will simultaneously and non-destructively measure the chemical, electrical and physical responses, record dynamic images of interface processes with a high spatial and temporal resolution, extract the actionable information from the generated multimodal data, and be able to conduct a goal-directed iterative optimization to minimize the dendrite formation. Benefit to Army Research: This DURIP proposal will provide a unique in-operando imaging platform that allows us to directly and systematically study the formation, evolution dynamics, and chemical compositions of interphase on the electrode surface. We will closely collaborate with Dr. Kang Xu from Army Research Lab to study the chemical process on the electrode surface. We have identified two potential interesting projects, including Project #1: Study the SEI in ?water-in-salt? type of high-voltage aqueous Li-ion chemistries, and Project #2: Understand the interfacial reaction dynamics of aqueous aluminum batteries. Both projects are very important to the DoD research, and the MuPIS system can provide important information to help understand the interfacial battery reactions and eventually provide high performance batteries that could be used for commercial and military applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 02, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310320
Entities
People
- Xiaonan Shan
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Houston