Application of morphological synthesis for understanding electrode microstructure evolution as a function of applied charge/discharge cycles

Abstract

Morphological synthesis operations were employed for understanding electrode microstructure transformations and evolution accompanying the application of charge/discharge cycles to electrochemical storage systems (batteries). Using state-of-the-art morphological algorithms, it was possible to predict microstructure evolution in porous Si electrodes for Li-ion batteries with reasonable accuracy. The developed techniques could be considered supplementary to a phase-field mesoscopic approach to microstructure evolution that is based upon clear and definitive changes in the appearance of microstructure. However, unlike in phase field, the governing equations for the morphological approach are geometry, not physics, based. A similar non-physics-based approach to understanding different phenomena was attempted with the introduction of cellular automata. It is anticipated that morphological synthesis will represent a useful supplementary tool to phase field and will render assistance to unraveling the underlying microstructure–property relationships. The paper contains data on electrochemical characterization of different electrode materials that was conducted in parallel to the morphological study.