What’s Cracking? Deep Investigation of aged Solid-State Electrolyte Lithium Sulfur Batteries via Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. [Was bricht? Untersuchung von gealterten Festkörper Elektrolyt Lithium Schwefel Batterien mittel Flugzeit Sekundärionen Massenspektrometrie. ]

Abke, Niklas M.; Hanf, Lenard; Hendriks, Theodoor A.; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha; Wiemers-Meyer, Simon.

Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated rechargeable energy storage, but their limits necessitate next-generation solutions. Lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) offer higher energy densities with sulfur's cost-effective and ecological advantages. Especially LSBs with solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) show promise as a next-generation solution while being plagued with low cycling reversibility. This research analyzes particle interactions of cycled metal polysulfide-based SSE LSBs by utilizing the high lateral and mass resolution time-of-flight-secondary ion-mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) imaging of focused ion beam (FIB) cross sections. Findings include carbon-electrolyte interphase formation, metal polysulfide degradation and detection of impurities. This work advances the understanding SSE LSB aging, thus supporting the development of longer lasting, energy-dense, and safe SSE LSBs as eco-friendly LIB alternatives.