Diffusion of lithium ions in structural carbon fibre electrodes

Current electric vehicles are hampered by the significant mass required for the battery components, much of which is metallic - current collectors, casing, etc. This can be replaced with structural electrodes, which carry both electrical charge and mechanical load. One promising possibility is to use carbon fibres, which can be tailored to meet a variety of mechanical needs, are reasonably good conductors, and can replace the graphite in a traditional lithium ion battery. However, the diffusive property and location of lithium ions within the fibres are not definitively known. Recent in-house NMR measurements indicate a fast exchange between two ion storage sites. We therefore wish to use µSR as an empirical probe of local ionic behaviour.