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Title: TEM in situ lithiation of tin nanoneedles for battery applications

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Science
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
  2. Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
  3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  4. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Materials such as tin (Sn) and silicon that alloy with lithium (Li) have attracted renewed interest as anode materials in Li-ion batteries. Although their superior capacity to graphite and other intercalation materials has been known for decades, their mechanical instability due to extreme volume changes during cycling has traditionally limited their commercial viability. This limitation is changing as processes emerge that produce nanostructured electrodes. The nanostructures can accommodate the repeated expansion and contraction as Li is inserted and removed without failing mechanically. Recently, one such nano-manufacturing process, which is capable of depositing coatings of Sn “nanoneedles” at low temperature with no template and at industrial scales, has been described. The present work is concerned with observations of the lithiation and delithiation behavior of these Sn nanoneedles during in situ experiments in the transmission electron microscope, along with a brief review of how in situ TEM experiments have been used to study the lithiation of Li-alloying materials. Individual needles are successfully lithiated and delithiated in solid-state half-cells against a Li-metal counter-electrode. Furthermore the microstructural evolution of the needles is discussed, including the transformation of one needle from single-crystal Sn to polycrystalline Sn–Li and back to single-crystal Sn.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Nanostructures for Electrical Energy Storage (NEES)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; SC0001160
OSTI ID:
1236483
Report Number(s):
SAND-2015-7618J; PII: 9318
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 51, Issue 1; ISSN 0022-2461
Publisher:
SpringerCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 16 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Studies of Electrochemical Reaction Mechanisms in Rechargeable Batteries journal June 2019
Understanding materials challenges for rechargeable ion batteries with in situ transmission electron microscopy journal August 2017
Review—Promises and Challenges of In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Electrochemical Techniques in the Studies of Lithium Ion Batteries journal January 2017