Rosser, T E; Dickinson, E J F; Raccichini, R; Hunter, K; Searle, A D; Kavanagh, C M; Curran, P J; Hinds, G; Park, J; Wain, A J (2021) Improved Operando Raman Cell Configuration for Commercially-Sourced Electrodes in Alkali-Ion Batteries. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 168 (7). 070541

Preview

Text eid9417.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Operando Raman spectroscopy is a well-established technique for monitoring chemical changes in active materials during electrochemical cycling of alkali-ion cells. However, to date its application to the study of commercial electrodes under realistic operating conditions has been severely limited by cell design constraints. We present here a novel configuration for performing operando Raman spectroscopy on coated metal foil electrodes used in standard laboratory cell testing. Electrochemical modelling predicted much improved lithiation homogeneity compared to a previously used configuration, which was validated experimentally for a commercially-sourced graphite electrode. The new configuration delivers improved electrochemical performance at higher specific currents than was previously possible, ensuring that Raman measurements at a single location are representative of the entire electrode. Finally, the broad applicability of the configuration was demonstrated in the study of hard carbon sodium-ion negative electrodes over 50 cycles. These results provide a new configuration for performing reliable, validated operando Raman spectroscopy on commercial battery electrodes, as well as setting out a framework for validating operando spectroscopic techniques to ensure that their performance is relevant to the practical systems to which they are applied.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Batteries, Raman spectroscopy
Subjects:	Advanced Materials > Electrochemistry
Divisions:	Electromagnetic & Electrochemical Technologies
Identification number/DOI:	10.1149/1945-7111/ac132d
Last Modified:	20 Apr 2022 13:16
URI:	https://eprintspublications.npl.co.uk/id/eprint/9417