Copy of Small angle scattering to unpick the multi-scale porosity in the carbon-binder of lithium-ion battery electrodes

The microstructure of lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrodes is a key to determination of the performance of the battery. However, the conductive composite made up of binder and carbon particles known as the carbon binder (CB), which hold the active material (AM) together and conducts electrons to AM sites, is itself structured on the nanoscale. Several studies have highlighted the importance of the nano-porosity of the carbon-binder composite, but it has never been satisfactorily quantified. SANS provides appropriate resolution to probe the morphology of morphology and porosity of the CB whilst SESANS is appropriate to probe AM particle size and micron scale pores. We propose combining both techniques to provide structural information across the complete size scale, delivering both new and complementary insight to LIB electrode microstructure.

锂离子电池（LIB）电极的微观结构是决定电池性能的核心要素。然而，由粘合剂与碳颗粒组成的导电复合材料——碳粘合剂（CB）——其功能是固定活性物质（AM）并将电子传导至活性物质位点，而该复合材料本身具备纳米级结构。已有多项研究强调了碳粘合剂复合材料纳米孔隙率的重要性，但此前始终未能对其实现令人满意的量化表征。小角中子散射（SANS）具备适配的分辨率，可用于探测碳粘合剂的形貌与孔隙结构；而自旋回波小角中子散射（SESANS）则适用于探测活性物质的颗粒尺寸与微米级孔隙。本研究提出将两种技术相结合，以获取覆盖全尺寸范围的结构信息，从而为锂离子电池电极微观结构的研究提供全新且互补的深入见解。