Cathode Electrode Optimisation Example

Cathode electrode optimisation example

Screening charging performance

This example showcases how charge photometry, using the illumionONE, enables researchers to assess and improve cathode material performance at the single-particle level.

By visualising and tracking individual particle behavior during battery operation, researchers can identify non-uniform (de)lithiation rates, assess particle activity, and uncover factors that influence battery performance. This powerful technique provides insights into how charging rates, aging, and electrode formulation impact performance, guiding smarter material optimisation strategies to enhance battery efficiency and lifespan.

The above video shows multiple active Ni-rich NMC particles in a cycling electrode. As the electrode is cycled at a C/3 rate, the scattering intensities of the particles increase with delithiation and decrease with lithiation, as shown by the mean image intensity plot.

Here the same electrode was cycled at a faster rate, 2C. If we look at and track the intensity of individual particles we can identify differences – see figure in next section below, showing the intensity differences for the two particles highlighted above, labelled A and B.

Results side-by-side

At the faster charging rate, 2C, the delithiation of particle B lags behind particle A: there is a delay before it starts to increase in intensity and then it accelerates and catches up with particle A.

This highlights how faster charging rates can induce nearby active particles in the electrode to (de)lithiate non-simultaneously, introducing non-uniformity in the (dis)charging rates of the electrode. This analysis can be extended to hundreds of particles to assess the rate performance of the material.

Extending analysis to a
large field of view

The (dis)charging rates of many particles can be compared so that the material can be characterised based on the proportion of active particles exhibiting typical rate performance, lagging behaviour or inactivity.

Materials optimisation
with illumionONE

Charge photometry reveals how individual particles in your battery electrode charge and discharge in real time, showing you exactly where and why performance varies.

Charge photometry can:

Pinpoint which particles are working efficiently, and which are inactive across an electrode
Show precisely how formulation changes and aging can impact charging uniformity
Enable a user to easily compare performance of different formulations as well as assess the impact of charging rate and battery aging, all at the particle level

By understanding exactly how your electrode particles perform in real time, you can make targeted formulation improvements that boost both battery lifespan and fast-charging capability.

Learn more about illumionONE

The illumionONE advantage

This example highlights several key points about charge photometry and using the illumionONE for cathode material optimisation.

Charge photometry reveals what's happening inside your battery materials as they operate:

See exactly how particles behave across the electrode surface
Identify performance-limiting hotspots and irregularities
Develop targeted optimization strategies for your specific cathode materials

Learn more about illumionONE