Unveiling Structural Evolution and Charge Transport Mechanisms of Energy Storage Materials via Multi-Modal Operando Techniques

Global energy storage use is predicted to grow more than 10-fold by 2040, however current battery technologies face rising concerns about their scale up costs, societal and environmental impact, and safety, motivating research into alternative battery chemistries. Understanding how these unique battery chemistries work is crucial to their implementation, with innovation driven by our understanding of material properties. Advanced characterization techniques, such as operando X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), provide a synergistic investigation of nanostructured materials, which in turn allows for a unique perspective into their chemical and physical properties. We conducted multi-modal operando studies to determine the storage and degradation mechanism(s) in various battery chemistries, including lithium ion, lithium-sulfur, and aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion with water-in-salt electrolytes. Understanding how battery materials change during cycling and their intrinsic limitations, will enable scientists to design more efficient, high-performance materials for battery systems.