Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing and Quality Control: Raman Spectroscopy, an Analytical Technique of Choice

Abstract

The efficiency of renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, has drastically increased over the last decade, whereas the cost of owning these technologies has decreased significantly. As a result, these changes have created a huge demand for energy storage devices, including batteries. Of particular interest is the development and improvement of portable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries because of their advantages over traditional battery technologies, including having higher energy density compared to other existing rechargeable batteries and faster charging. Researchers are constantly investigating ways to make Li-ion batteries more efficient and safer. Currently, the Li-ion battery technology is far from perfect and there have been several high-profile reports of failures, including explosions and fires caused during charging, use, and storage. In this regard, Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a powerful tool for research and quality control of Li-ion batteries. In this paper, we present Raman as a technique of choice for quality control of manufacturing processes of Li-ion batteries. We highlight two cases of bulk analysis of lithium compounds using Raman spectroscopy during the quality control procedure of raw materials, and one case of analysis for better manufacturing using Raman imaging microscopy.