Multiscale study on Sodium ion battery electrodes: in-situ study on phase transition and degradation phenomena in Prussian blue analogue

Na-ion batteries are a promising alternative to Lithium-Ion batteries. This experiment will focus on structural degradation and phase transition in Fennac, a sodium-rich Prussian blue analogue, also called “Prussian White”, and on hard carbon, the most widespread anode in the field of sodium-ion batteries. Understanding the processes happening inside the batteries is fundamental to develop more efficient devices, for this reason, the goal of the experiment is to be able to visualize the grain structure of the cathode material and get information on the present phases, by relying on tomography and Bragg edge imaging. We want to correlate the number of cycles of the battery to the degradation of the material (e.g. cracking upon (de)sodiation), and to get a deeper understanding of the processes happening inside the cell. On the anode side, the sodium storage process will be investigated.