Evaluating the Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formed on Silicon Electrodes: A Comparison of: Ex Situ X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and in Situ Neutron Reflectometry
Abstract
This work details the in situ characterization of the interface between a silicon electrode and an electrolyte using a linear fluorinated solvent molecule, 0.1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in deuterated dimethyl perfluoroglutarate (d6-PF5M2) (1.87 x 10-2 mS cm-1). The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) composition and thickness determined via in situ neutron reflectometry (NR) and ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were compared. The data show that SEI expansion and contraction (breathing) during electrochemical cycling were observed via both techniques; however, ex situ XPS suggests that the SEI thickness increases during Si lithiation and decreases during delithiation, while in situ NR suggests the opposite. The most likely cause of this discrepancy is the selective removal of SEI components (top 20 nm of the SEI) during the electrode rinse process, which is required to remove the electrolyte residue prior to ex situ analysis, demonstrating the necessity of performing SEI characterization in situ.
Recommended Citation
T. M. Fears et al., "Evaluating the Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formed on Silicon Electrodes: A Comparison of: Ex Situ X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and in Situ Neutron Reflectometry," Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, vol. 18, no. 20, pp. 13927 - 13940, Royal Society of Chemistry, Apr 2016.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1039/c6cp00978f
Department(s)
Chemistry
Keywords and Phrases
Lithium alloys; Solid electrolytes; Carbonate EC
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1463-9076; 1463-9084
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2016 Royal Society of Chemistry, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Apr 2016