In Situ Atomic-Scale Observation of Electrochemical Delithiation Induced Structure Evolution of LiCoO2 Cathode in a Working All-Solid-State Battery

• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b13344
• Publication Date: 2017-03-09T02:29:38Z
• Authors: Yue Gong; Jienan Zhang; Liwei Jiang; Jin-An Shi; Qinghua Zhang; Zhenzhong Yang; Dongli Zou; Jiangyong Wang; Xiqian Yu; Ruijuan Xiao; Yong-Sheng Hu; Lin Gu; Hong Li; Liquan Chen
• Keywords: Atomic units

We report a method for in situ atomic-scale observation of electrochemical delithiation working all-solid-state battery using state-of-the-art chip based transmission electron microscopy (TEM) holder and focused ion beam milling to prepare an lithium-ion sample. A consisting LiCoO2 cathode, LLZO solid state electrolyte gold anode was constructed, delithiated observed aberration corrected scanning microscope at atomic scale. found that the pristine single crystal became nanosized polycrystal connected by coherent twin boundaries antiphase domain after high voltage delithiation. This is different from liquid batteries, where series phase transitions take place cathode during Both grain become more energy favorable along with extraction lithium ions through theoretical calculation. also proposed migration pathway before polycrystallization. new methodology could stimulate scale scanning/TEM studies materials provide important mechanistic insight designing better battery.