Elemental Analysis of Aging Effects in Lithium Ion Batteries By Means of Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

As the performance of the lithium ion battery (LIB) technology is rising constantly, one of the major challenge remains in the form complex aging phenomena, affecting crucial properties such as cycle life, capacity fade and safety.1 In order to improve the electrochemical performance of LIBs, by preventing or reducing aging effects, a deeper understanding of the degradation of battery materials and factors influencing these processes is needed. Spatial and depth resolved elemental information allows for the study of different processes, such as transition metal dissolution (TMD) and subsequent deposition on the anode surface, as well as loss of active lithium (e.g. through deposition in the solid electrolyte interface (SEI), lithium plating).2 Established techniques for these investigations include time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Glow discharge-optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES). However, small spot sizes, prolonged measurement times or the inability to provide spatial resolved information limit the applicability of these techniques. Laser ablation-inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) offers the unique combination of spatial and depth resolved information, excellent limits of detection, fast measurement times (even for large samples) and easy sample preparation. Therefore this work deals with the application of LA-ICP-MS as a direct solid sample analysis technique for the investigation of the degradation of LIB electrode materials. Mapping experiments are carried out to visualize deposition patterns of lithium and transition metals as well as study factors influencing these depositions. (1) Vetter, J.; Novák, P.; Wagner, M. R.; Veit, C.; Möller, K. C.; Besenhard, J. O.; Winter, M.; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, M.; Vogler, C.; Hammouche, A. Ageing Mechanisms in Lithium-Ion Batteries. J. Power Sources 2005, 147 (1–2), 269–281. (2) Schwieters, T.; Evertz, M.; Fengler, A.; Börner, M.; Dagger, T.; Stenzel, Y.; Harte, P.; Winter, M.; Nowak, S. Visualizing Elemental Deposition Patterns on Carbonaceous Anodes from Lithium Ion Batteries: A Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Study on Factors Influencing the Deposition of Lithium, Nickel, Manganese and Cobalt after Dissoluti. J. Power Sources 2018, 380 (January), 194–201.