AN ANALYTICAL METHOD TO ASSESS MICROSTRUCTURE IN LI-ION BATTERY CATHODES

The successful implementation of electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices within a sustainable energy infrastructure is an inherently multi-scale problem that can benefit from device design at the nano- and micro-scales. These design efforts can be facilitated through the development of analytical models for assessing the merit of microstructural candidate designs. To this end, an analytical model has been developed based on an analogy between charge transport in the presence of electrochemical reactions and thermal fin analysis. This modeling approach provides a method for promptly evaluating microstructures that can be produced with established and novel fabrication techniques. This approach is applied to the assessment of Li-ion battery cathode microstructure by focusing on electronic transport within the solid cathode material. The influence of microstructural morphology on electrode performance is addressed for a set of common cathode materials and the microstructural design implications associated with these materials are discussed.