Operando elucidation of electrolyte concentration profiles in high-power magnetically aligned graphite electrodes for Li-ion batteries

Our recently developed operando XRF/XRD methodology is used to study a new and unique high-performance Li-ion battery (LIB) architecture. The proposed architecture is a magnetically aligned graphite electrode (MAGE), produced using a novel, scalable self-assembly technique. The aligned channels inside the electrode shorten the effective path Li+ ions must travel within the composite electrodes, represented by the electrode tortuosity (τ). Our preliminary results show that MAGE’s have better fast-charge/discharge performance than their conventional counterparts. Models suggest these pores manipulate Li+ concentration gradients inside the electrode, and spatially resolved state-of-charge measurements are needed to confirm this mechanism and rationally optimize this architecture. Our goal is to apply our XRF/XRD methodology to a new, 3D nanostructured battery electrode to enhance our fundamental understanding of Li transport inside next-generation, high-power battery architectures.