Current-dependent electrode lattice fluctuations and anode phase evolution in a lithium-ion battery investigated by in situ neutron diffraction

This work uses real-time in situ neutron powder diffraction to study the electrode lattice response and anode phase evolution in a commercial lithium-ion battery. We show that the time-resolved lattice response of the LixCoO2 cathode and LixC6 anode under non-equilibrium conditions varies proportionally with the applied current, where higher current results in faster structural change. Higher current also reduces the LixCoO2 cathode c lattice parameter and the LiC6 quantity that forms at the charged state of the battery, both of which are related to lower battery capacity. At the anode, we find that the LixC6 phase evolution is current-dependent.

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► Links between time-dependent structural parameters and battery performance.
► Current-dependent evolution of the anode.
► Direct correlation of LixCoO2 and LiC6 structure with battery capacity.