MSGID: 1:317/3 642e4af8   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries: Neutrons unveil sluggish charge   
   transport    
      
     Date:   
         April 5, 2023   
     Source:   
         Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fu"r Materialien und Energie   
     Summary:   
         Solid-state Lithium-Sulfur batteries offer the potential for   
         much higher energy densities and increased safety, compared to   
         conventional lithium- ion batteries. However, the performance of   
         solid-state batteries is currently lacking, with slow charging and   
         discharging being one of the primary causes. Now, a new study shows   
         that sluggish lithium ion transport within a composite cathode is   
         the cause of this slow charging and discharging.   
      
      
         Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email   
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   The scientists designed a special cell in order to observe the transport   
   of lithium-ions between the anode and the cathode in a solid-state   
   Lithium-Sulfur battery. Since lithium can hardly be detected with   
   x-ray methods, HZB physicists Dr. Robert Bradbury and Dr. Ingo Manke   
   examined the sample cell with neutrons, which are extremely sensitive   
   to lithium. In conjunction with Dr.   
      
   Nikolay Kardjilov, HZB, they used neutron radiography and neutron   
   tomography methods on the CONRAD2 instrument at the Berlin neutron source   
   BER II1. Groups from Giessen (JLU), Braunschweig (TUBS) and Ju"lich   
   (FZJ) were also involved in the work.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Lithium ions observed directly "We now have much better idea what is   
   limiting the battery performance," says Bradbury: "We see from the   
   operando neutron radiography data that there is a reaction front of   
   lithium ions propagating through the composite cathode confirming the   
   negative influence of a low effective ionic conductivity."  Additionally,   
   the 3D neutron tomography images show trapped lithium concentrated near   
   the current collector during recharging. "This results in a diminished   
   capacity because only some of the lithium is transported back when   
   the battery is charged."  The observed lithium distribution was an   
   excellent fit to a model based on the theory of porous electrodes:   
   "What we observe here in the neutron imaging data correlates well with   
   the relevant electronic and ionic conductivity conditions from the model"   
   says Bradbury.   
      
   Bottleneck identified These results unveil a previously overlooked   
   development bottleneck for solid- state batteries, showing that   
   limitations exist in the cathode composites due to the slow ionic   
   transport. The challenge now is to enable faster ion delivery within the   
   cathode composite. "Without direct visualization of the reaction front   
   inside the cathode composite this effect might have gone unnoticed,   
   despite its importance for solid-state battery development," Bradbury   
   says.   
      
   Footnote 1: The experiments took place at the end of 2019, before the   
   neutron source BER II was shut down. The work will be continued in the   
   future as part of the joint research group "NI-Matters" between HZB, the   
   Institut Laue- Langevin (France) and the University of Grenoble (France).   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Matter_&_Energy   
                   # Batteries # Fuel_Cells # Alternative_Fuels # Spintronics   
                   # Electronics # Energy_and_Resources # Telecommunications   
                   # Physics   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Lithium o Acid o Battery_(electricity) o Evaporation o   
             Cadmium o Helicopter o Chlorine o Potential_energy   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Helmholtz-Zentrum_Berlin_fu"r_Materialien_und_Energie.   
      
   Note: Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Robert Bradbury, Georg F. Dewald, Marvin A. Kraft, Tobias Arlt,   
      Nikolay   
         Kardjilov, Ju"rgen Janek, Ingo Manke, Wolfgang G. Zeier, Saneyuki   
         Ohno.   
      
         Visualizing Reaction Fronts and Transport Limitations in   
         Solid‐State Li-S Batteries via Operando Neutron   
         Imaging. Advanced Energy Materials, 2023; 2203426 DOI:   
         10.1002/aenm.202203426   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230405130127.htm   
      
   --- up 1 year, 5 weeks, 2 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes   
    * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 15/0 106/201 114/705 123/120 153/7715 226/30 227/114 229/110   
   SEEN-BY: 229/111 112 113 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 292/854 298/25   
   SEEN-BY: 305/3 317/3 320/219 396/45   
   PATH: 317/3 229/426