Batteries can power electric vehicles, etc.
, and their performance depends on the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte.
According to foreign media reports, Penn State and industry researchers have developed new methods to observe this interface at higher resolution and hopefully improve battery efficiency and life.
(Photo source: Penn University) An electrolyte is a liquid medium that conducts ions between the anode and cathode, allowing current to flow.
The electrode-electrolyte interface is the boundary where the solid electrode and the liquid electrolyte meet.
This interface can affect the accumulation, consumption and transfer of charge of ions and solvent molecules and plays a key role in battery performance.
Researcher Jianwei Lai said understanding this interface behavior, especially the electric double layer (EDL), is important for designing more efficient and durable batteries.
“EDL controls ion migration and electron transport, making electrochemical reactions in batteries possible.
It will directly affect the performance of the battery.
“, However, the challenge is that this electrode-electrolyte bilayer exists on ultra-microscopic scales and is highly dynamic, changing structure based on the applied voltage.
As the voltage changes, the arrangement of ions and molecules in the layer changes.
Changes in the electrode-electrolyte layer can reduce battery efficiency, reduce battery energy storage, and shorten battery life.
For example, ions stuck in the wrong position can slow down current flow, just as traffic jams can slow down the speed of the car.
Lai explained: “EDL is approximately nanoscale and difficult to characterize.
Moreover, its structure is not static and highly dependent on the applied charge, making it very challenging to study it directly.”.Previously, researchers used theoretical models to understand the structure of EDL.
Traditional measurement methods, such as voltammetry, traditional electrocapillarity and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, can provide indirect but inaccurate clues.
Lai said that current battery systems are more complex, so this is particularly problematic.
These batteries use complex salt solutions to help the battery store and release more energy.
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