April 2016Peeking inside batteries with X-rays – We show the cathode of a Na/O2 battery in which sodium superoxide is deposited as discharge product. Sodium superoxide is usually observed as cubical particles with up to 20 µm particle size, but can not be monitored during operation directly inside the battery because it is covered by the battery housing and other materials. We visualize these particles (color gradient as measure for particle volume) by means of synchrotron X-ray transmission tomography of a fully discharge battery cathode. Measurements were conducted in cooperation with the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie at the electron storage ring BESSY II, and were recently published (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep24288).Electrically rechargeable metal/oxygen batteries, such as the Na/O2 battery, have been considered as possible future energy storage devices. Metal/oxygen batteries are investigated intensively in the Janek research group within the framework of several third-party funded research projects, such as the BASF-Network “Electrochemistry and Batteries”, and the BMBF-Project “BenchBatt”. Main focus is thereby on gaining understanding of the electrochemical and chemical processes and thus on improving cell performance. (Picture submitted by Conrad Bender and Daniel Schröder.)https://www.uni-giessen.de/en/faculties/f08/departments/physchem/janek/gallerypotm/pom2016/BdM0416.jpeg/viewhttps://www.uni-giessen.de/@@site-logo/logo.png
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April 2016
Peeking inside batteries with X-rays – We show the cathode of a Na/O2 battery in which sodium superoxide is deposited as discharge product. Sodium superoxide is usually observed as cubical particles with up to 20 µm particle size, but can not be monitored during operation directly inside the battery because it is covered by the battery housing and other materials. We visualize these particles (color gradient as measure for particle volume) by means of synchrotron X-ray transmission tomography of a fully discharge battery cathode. Measurements were conducted in cooperation with the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie at the electron storage ring BESSY II, and were recently published (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep24288).Electrically rechargeable metal/oxygen batteries, such as the Na/O2 battery, have been considered as possible future energy storage devices. Metal/oxygen batteries are investigated intensively in the Janek research group within the framework of several third-party funded research projects, such as the BASF-Network “Electrochemistry and Batteries”, and the BMBF-Project “BenchBatt”. Main focus is thereby on gaining understanding of the electrochemical and chemical processes and thus on improving cell performance. (Picture submitted by Conrad Bender and Daniel Schröder.)
