With operando transmission electron microscopy visualizing the solid-solid electrode-electrolyte interface of silicon active particles and lithium oxide solid electrolyte as a model system, we show that (de)lithiation (battery cycling) does not require all particles to be in direct contact with electrolytes across length scales of a few hundred nanometers. A facile lithium redistribution that occurs between interconnected active particles indicates that lithium does not necessarily become isolated in individual particles due to loss of a direct contact. Our results have implications for the design of all-solid-state battery electrodes with improved capacity retention and cyclability. ©

The unique capability of TEM to resolve the microstructural and chemical evolution of electrode materials during battery operation at high temporal and spatial resolution makes it the method of choice for operando battery experiments. However, the widely used open-cell setup, that uses oxidized lithium as the electrolyte due to its inherent design, does not allow Li-ions to be (de)inserted from every part of the electrode particle, which imposes restrictions on the (de)intercalation process. This may lead to the formation of a mechanistic hypothesis based on incomplete information about the (de)lithiation of the electrode material under investigation. Using LiFePO₄ as a model electrode material we propose here a MEMS based cell-on-a-chip design comprising of a thin coating of amorphous electrolyte, which can be utilized to overcome the said issue.

Using the magnetocaloric effect in nanoparticles holds great potential for efficient refrigeration and energy conversion. The most promising candidate materials for tailoring the Curie temperature to room temperature are rare-earth-based magnetic nanoalloys. However, only few high-nuclearity lanthanide/transition-metal nanoalloys have been produced so far. Here we report, for the first time, the observation of magnetic response in spark-produced LaFeSi nanoalloys. The results suggest that these nanoalloys can be used to exploit the magnetocaloric effect near room temperature; such a finding can lead to the creation of unique multicomponent materials for energy conversion, thus helping toward the realization of a sustainable energy economy.

The high Li-ion conductivity of the argyrodite Li₆PS₅Cl makes it a promising solid electrolyte candidate for all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. For future application, it is essential to identify facile synthesis procedures and to relate the synthesis conditions to the solid electrolyte material performance. Here, a simple optimized synthesis route is investigated that avoids intensive ball milling by direct annealing of the mixed precursors at 550 °C for 10 h, resulting in argyrodite Li₆PS₅Cl with a high Li-ion conductivity of up to 4.96 × 10^-3 S cm^-1 at 26.2 °C. Both the temperature-dependent alternating current impedance conductivities and solid-state NMR spin-lattice relaxation rates demonstrate that the Li₆PS₅Cl prepared under these conditions results in a higher conductivity and Li-ion mobility compared to materials prepared by the traditional mechanical milling route. The origin of the improved conductivity appears to be a combination of the optimal local Cl structure and its homogeneous distribution in the material. All-solid-state cells consisting of an 80Li₂S-20LiI cathode, the optimized Li₆PS₅Cl electrolyte, and an In anode showed a relatively good electrochemical performance with an initial discharge capacity of 662.6 mAh g^-1 when a current density of 0.13 mA cm^-2 was used, corresponding to a C-rate of approximately C/20. On direct comparison with a solid-state battery using a solid electrolyte prepared by the mechanical milling route, the battery made with the new material exhibits a higher initial discharge capacity and Coulombic efficiency at a higher current density with better cycling stability. Nevertheless, the cycling stability is limited by the electrolyte stability, which is a major concern for these types of solid-state batteries.

The key to understanding the performance of Li–O₂ batteries is to study the chemical and structural properties of their discharge product(s) at the nanometer scale. Using TEM for this purpose poses challenges due to the sensitivity of samples to air and electron beams. This paper describes our use of in situ EELS to evaluate experimental procedures to reduce electron-beam degradation and presents methods to deal with air sensitivity. Our results show that Li₂O₂ decomposition is dependent on the total dose and is approximately 4–5 times more pronounced at 80 than at 200 kV. We also demonstrate the benefits of using low-dose-rate STEM. We show further that a “graphene cell” which encapsulates the sample within graphene sheets, can protect the sample against air and e-beam damage.

Nanostructured silicon has been intensively investigated as a high capacity Li-ion battery anode. However, the commercial introduction still requires advances in the scalable synthesis of sophisticated Si nanomaterials and electrodes. Moreover, the electrode degradation due to volume changes upon de-/lithiation, low areal electrode capacity, and application of large amounts of advanced conductive additives are some of the challenging aspects. Here we report a Si electrode, prepared from direct deposition of Si nanoparticles on a current collector without any binder or conducting additives, that addresses all of the above issues. It exhibits an excellent cycling stability and a high capacity retention taking advantages of what appears to be a locally protective, yolk-shell reminiscent, solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Cycling an electrode with a Si nanoparticle loading of 2.2 mg cm⁻² achieved an unrivalled areal capacity retention, specifically, up to 4.2 mAh cm⁻² and ~ 1.5 mAh cm⁻² at 0.8 mA cm⁻² and 1.6 mA cm⁻², respectively.

Solid-state batteries potentially offer increased lithium-ion battery energy density and safety as required for large-scale production of electrical vehicles. One of the key challenges toward high-performance solid-state batteries is the large impedance posed by the electrode-electrolyte interface. However, direct assessment of the lithium-ion transport across realistic electrode-electrolyte interfaces is tedious. Here we report two-dimensional lithium-ion exchange NMR accessing the spontaneous lithium-ion transport, providing insight on the influence of electrode preparation and battery cycling on the lithium-ion transport over the interface between an argyrodite solid-electrolyte and a sulfide electrode. Interfacial conductivity is shown to depend strongly on the preparation method and demonstrated to drop dramatically after a few electrochemical (dis)charge cycles due to both losses in interfacial contact and increased diffusional barriers. The reported exchange NMR facilitates non-invasive and selective measurement of lithium-ion interfacial transport, providing insight that can guide the electrolyte-electrode interface design for future all-solid-state batteries.

The high theoretical energy density of Li-O₂ batteries as required for electrification of transport has pushed Li-O₂ research to the forefront. The poor cyclability of this system due to incomplete Li₂O₂ oxidation is one of the major hurdles to be crossed if it is ever to deliver a high reversible energy density. Here we present the use of nano seed crystallites to control the size and morphology of the Li₂O₂ crystals. The evolution of the Li₂O₂ lattice parameters during operando X-ray diffraction demonstrates that the hexagonal NiO nanoparticles added to the activated carbon electrode act as seed crystals for equiaxed growth of Li₂O₂, which is confirmed by scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) elemental maps also showing preferential formation of Li₂O₂ on the NiO surface. Even small amounts of NiO (∼5 wt %) particles act as preferential sites for Li₂O₂ nucleation, effectively reducing the average size of the primary Li₂O₂ crystallites and promoting crystalline growth. This is supported by first principle calculations, which predict a low interfacial energy for the formation of NiO-Li₂O₂ interfaces. The eventual cell failure appears to be the consequence of electrolyte side reactions, indicating the necessity of more stable electrolytes. The demonstrated control of the Li₂O₂ crystallite growth by the rational selection of appropriate nano seed crystals appears to be a promising strategy to improve the reversibility of Li-air electrodes.