Batteries are used in a wide range of the electronic devices which are taken for granted in our daily life. Li-ion batteries, in particular, have been a key enabling technology for certain consumer electronics over the past decade and are also considered vital for the further development of EVs (Electrical Vehicles).
The presence of impurities and contaminants in the material used in the production of Li-ion batteries can have catastrophic impacts on the finished battery products with incidents of such failures having been widely reported. As such, monitoring of the quality and cleanliness of materials throughout the production process is essential if contaminants are to be found and their sources controlled.
In addition to ensuring contaminants are not present, being able to characterise the microstructure in all parts of a battery is crucial for optimising the design of future devices as well as for failure analysis of existing designs. Improving the battery performance and lifetime (number of charge & discharge cycles) is one of the key obstacles for increased usage in relation to EVs.
In this webinar, we will discuss how the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) combined with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) can be used to
· Monitor materials quality throughout the production process
· Investigate failure mechanisms and develop solutions
· Characterise Li-based phases for next generation battery development
We will do this with reference to specific examples including cleanliness of powders used for production of electrode material. EBSD analysis of electrodes and Li detection in solid-state electrolytes using EDS.
Speakers:
Kim Larsen: Kim Larsen joined HKL Technology A/S in January 2004. The company was acquired by Oxford Instruments in the following year. Through his history at HKL Technology A/S and then Oxford Instruments Kim has worked in several areas including Customer Support, Development and Marketing; always with a strong focus on EBSD. He is currently working as a Senior Product Scientist within the Product Science group.
Dr Geoff West: Dr. Geoff West received MSc and PhD at the university of Warwick, where he extended his microscopy experience into inorganic thin film membranes and oxide ceramics respectively. He has also worked at Loughborough University on various steel and Ni superalloy based projects before becoming principle microscopist in the Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre. He joined WMG in 2015 to set up a new characterisation centre, focussing on high throughput analysis of engineering materials, with a special focus on steels and air sensitive battery materials.
Sam Marks: Dr Sam Marks graduated with a doctorate in Physics. He joined Oxford Instruments in 2018 and has always worked with a strong focus on electron microscopy. Sam has focused his research on S/TEM, in particular in-situ characterisation. He is currently working as a TEM Product Manager within the EDS Product Marketing Group.