The defect specific technique of positron–electron annihilation is utilized in an appropriate electrochemical cell for operando monitoring of vacancy-type defect formation which occurs in battery electrodes upon charging, using the cathode material LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 as a case study. The variation of the positron lifetime with charging-induced Li ion extraction indicates the formation of divacancies and vacancy agglomerates in a progressive amount as well as a reordering of vacancy agglomerates to one-dimensional vacancy chains at the end of charging. A remarkable correlation of the charging-induced variation of the positron lifetime with that of Li ion diffusion data in the literature has been found.

Topics
Crystallographic defects, Energy storage, Annihilation radiation, Lifetime spectroscopy, Positron annihilation spectroscopy, Electron positron interactions, Oxides, Electrochemistry, Electrochemical potential, Batteries
© 2019 Author(s).
2019
Author(s)
You do not currently have access to this content.