title: Three-Dimensional Visualization of Gas Evolution and Channel Formation inside a Lithium-Ion Battery.
abstract: Gas generation within lithium ion batteries (LIBs) gives rise to safety concerns that question their applicability. By employing synchrotron X-ray imaging, the gas and channel evolution occurring in an operating LIB have been directly visualized in their inherent 3D state as a function of discharge and charge. Using the spatial 3D distribution of gas bubbles and channels, the active particles that dictate the performance of a functional LIB were identified and visualized in 3D. Delithiation and lithiation are interpreted as the process of activating particles continuously in a step-by-step way. The present work not only demonstrates the generation and evolution of gas within LIB in 3D, but also reveals the distribution of active particles for the first time. These fundamentally findings presented here shed light on a range of processes that could not previously be characterized in 3D and can provide practical guidance for the design of next-generation LIBs with improved safety.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science and Technology Technische Universität Berlin 10623 Berlin, Germany.|Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science and Technology Technische Universität Berlin 10623 Berlin, Germany.|Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Markötter
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manke
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilger
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kardjilov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Science and Technology Technische Universität Berlin 10623 Berlin, Germany.|Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1 14109 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Banhart
keywords: channel formation; gas evolution; lithium ion battery; radiography; silicon anode; synchrotron X-ray imaging; tomography