Battery Materials Exploration with Neutrons and Synchrotron X-Rays

Abstract

The increasing demands for alternative energy sources and energy storage systems have created a fast growing global market for rechargeable batteries. Extensive research activities are in progress worldwide aiming to develop reliable, cheap, environmentally benign and high-performance materials for advanced rechargeable batteries. Fundamental materials exploration is critical to achieve the next generation battery technology. X-rays and neutrons interact with matter in different ways, thus are frequently used as complementary tools for studying materials at the electronic, atomic and molecular levels. We have been utilizing synchrotron x-ray and neutron techniques to investigate a large variety of materials for energy applications. In this poster, we will present our recent results on both in-situ and ex-situ studies of battery materials using various neutrons and synchrotron x-ray techniques, including diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy. We will also discuss the challenges in battery materials research, and our future experimental approaches and computational modeling. (Use of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.)