Real-Time Multimodal Imaging of Unexpected Cathode-Electrolyte Interphase Evolution under Fast Charging

While papers like Zhao & Li (2020) and Cowan & Hardwick (2019) emphasize the importance of understanding electrode–electrolyte interfaces, a key gap remains: direct, time-resolved observation of CEI evolution, especially under stress conditions like fast charging, where unexpected degradation or performance drops often arise. This research proposes integrating operando advanced spectroelectrochemical techniques—such as SHINERS, SEIRAS, and near-field IR imaging—with high-speed tomography or electron microscopy. The goal is to visualize, in real-time, how the CEI forms, evolves, and breaks down in the presence of high current densities, and to correlate these dynamics with sudden performance issues. Unlike existing approaches that offer static or low-temporal-resolution snapshots, this system would reveal the real-time genesis of “unexpected” interfacial phenomena that lead to premature battery failure or capacity fade. Such insight could revolutionize interface engineering for next-gen LIBs and directly inform predictive models for battery health.

References:

1. Regulating the Performance of Lithium-Ion Battery Focus on the Electrode-Electrolyte Interface. Dongni Zhao, Shiyou Li (2020). Frontiers in Chemistry.
2. Advanced Spectroelectrochemical Techniques to Study Electrode Interfaces Within Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Oxygen Batteries.. Alexander J. Cowan, L. Hardwick (2019). Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry.