ECS Webinar: “A micro-to-nano zoom through a real-world battery with X-ray vision”

Dr. Yijin Liu

Dr. Yijin Liu

Dr. Yijin Liu
Lead Scientist
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Date: May 17, 2023
Time: 1300–1400h ET

Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are characterized by structural and chemical complexities across a broad range of length scales. It is the batteries’ structural hierarchy that determines their functionality. The study of the battery function, degradation, and failure mechanisms requires a systematic investigation from the structural, chemical, mechanical, and dynamic perspectives. X-ray-based characterization techniques are playing an important role in this research field.

This talk presents a macro-to-nano zoom through the hierarchy of a real-world battery cell using a suite of state-of-the-art x-ray techniques. Damage, deformation, compositional, and chemical heterogeneity at different length scales is visualized and associated with different degradation mechanisms. These results highlight the importance of the battery material’s mechanical properties, which evolve upon battery cycling and could significantly impact both immediate and long-term cell behaviors.

An interactive Q&A session follows the presentation.

Benefits of attending the webinar

Learn about:

  • The structural hierarchy of a real-world battery and its impacts on cell performance and degradation;
  • State-of-the-art x-ray characterization techniques and their relevance to battery R&D;
  • The integration of novel data mining methods and high-throughput experimentation for battery R&D.
Yijin Liu

Yijin Liu is Lead Scientist at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. He has over 15 years of experience in developing state-of-the-art x-ray characterization techniques including multi-modal and multi-scale microscopy using both synchrotrons and compact laboratory x-ray sources. In addition to his technical expertise, Liu has applied these methods broadly for scientific research in renewable energy science, industry catalysis, oil production, and material under extreme conditions. In more recent years, Liu’s research group focused on studying energy storage materials using synchrotron experimental tools as well as associated machine learning and data mining approaches.

Dr. Liu completed his BS in 2004 and PhD in 2009 in Optics at the University of Science and Technology of China. He joined Stanford University as a postdoctoral scholar in 2009 and became Associate Staff Scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in 2012, Staff Scientist in 2015, and Lead Scientist in 2020. He received the 2016 William E. and Diane M. Spicer Young Investigator Award.

Learn more about upcoming ECS Webinars and review our previous webinar recordings.

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