Operando Scanning X-ray Diffraction Imaging of Li ionic order in high-voltage LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 cathode materials

High voltage spinel cathode materials such as LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) are the next step in the evolution of lithium-ion battery technology. Despite relatively large theoretical energy density and fast charging capabilities, the phase transitions of these materials are complex and poorly understood. Operando Scanning X-ray Diffraction microscopy (SXDM) will allow us to follow these phase transitions at the scale of single nanocrystals, and determine the link between cationic ordering, strain, mosaicity, and the dynamics of the phase transitions during battery (dis)charging. The experiment is aimed at studying the spatial distribution of redox processes and lithium deintercalation occurring in single crystal particles. The obtained data on strain transformation would give us valuable information about variations of lithium ionic order and phase evolution at nanoscale and will allow to image heterogeneities in way inaccessible by any other method.