Tortuosity Anisotropy in Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes
Ding-Wen (Tony) Chung
MSE Purdue (Ding-Wen (Tony) Chung and R. Edwin García) and ETH Zurich (Martin Ebner and Vanessa Wood) researchers have demonstrated the effect of particle shape and compaction rate on the power and energy density losses in rechargeable battery electrodes.
Recent MSE graduate Tony Chung, Purdue Masters, 2013 (R. Edwin García, advisor) contributed a systematic study on the lithium-ion battery electrode microstructure numerical simulations based on using X-ray tomography. Fabrication-induced alignment of non-spherical particles is found to cause tortuosity anisotropy, which has a significant impact battery performance.
Back cover of "Advanced Energy Materials." April 2, 2014, Vol. 4, Issue 5.
3D rendered microstructure demonstrates the difference in in-plane transport behavior (blue) versus through-plane lithium transport. Microstructure corresponds to platelet graphite electrode.
Related Link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.201470024/abstract