Front Cover - Method Development for the Investigation of Mn2+/3+, Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ with Capillary Electrophoresis Hyphenated to Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry

Hanf, Lenard; Brüning, Kai; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha

Abstract

The cover image shows the dissolution of various transition metal (TM) ions from the cathode (left side) of a lithium ion battery (LIB) into the electrolyte and the migration to the anode (right side). In the cathode, the TMs enable redox reactions and stabilize the structure during cycling, allowing a LIB to operate. However, when the TM ions reach the negative electrode, they exhibit their destructive behavior and affect the electrolyte-protective interphase layer, resulting in shorter battery life. With the newly developed CE-ICP-MS (electropherogram), it is possible to quantify these dissolved transition metals, especially Mn2+ and Mn3+.