Imaging grain boundaries that impede lithium-ion migration in solid-state batteries

February 28, 2024

A research team at NIMS has developed a novel technique to visualize grain boundaries that impede lithium-ion migration in solid-state batteries, a promising advancement in next-generation battery technology. 
Solid-state batteries, aimed at being safer and more energy-dense than traditional lithium-ion batteries, face challenges due to hindered lithium-ion movement at interfaces and grain boundaries within solid electrolytes. 
The team utilized secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to image and quantify ionic migration at individual grain boundaries within a solid electrolyte. By replacing a portion of stable lithium isotope with another isotope and employing cryogenic conditions to slow down diffusion, they could precisely measure lithium distribution and identify grain boundaries restricting ionic migration. This cryo-SIMS technique allows direct observation of lithium-ion diffusion, pinpointing bottleneck interfaces and grain boundaries within solid-state batteries, thus paving the way for enhanced battery performance. 

From: EurekAlert!