MICROSCOPY Vol.47▶No.3 2012
â– Feature Articles: Imaging of Battery Materials by TEM

In-situ Electron Holographic Observation of an All-Solid-State Li Battery Reaction

Kazuo Yamamoto

Abstract: All-solid-state lithium batteries with nonflammable solid electrolytes offer the possibility of avoiding some of the safety issues associated with conventional batteries that contain combustible liquid electrolytes. However, they have a lower power density, and this is mostly attributed to the large resistance to Li-ion transfer across the electrode/solid-electrolyte interface. To date, knowledge of how the local electric potential in the batteries varies during Li-ion transfer has been unattainable. Here we have succeeded in directly observing the electric potential distribution during charge-discharge cycle by in-situ electron holography. Li-ion distribution in the battery and electric double layer formed near the interfaces were directly observed in real space.

Key words: all-solid-state lithium battery, in-situ observation, electron holography