Raman spectroscopy for battery manufacturing
As demand for solar and wind power continues to skyrocket, so, too, does the need for energy storage devices, including lithium-ion batteries. Specifically, researchers are working to produce lithium-ion batteries that are smaller in size, offer greater storage capacity, can be recharged more quickly, and are safer to use for both household and industrial users.
As scientists continue their quest to design the perfect lithium-ion battery, Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a top tool to use in lithium-ion battery manufacturing—both during the inspection of raw materials and for quality control as the battery is being developed.
Rapid battery materials analysis with little to no sample preparation
Unlike other lithium-ion battery testing techniques, Raman spectroscopy can often identify battery materials within seconds with minimal or no sample preparation. And as commercial Raman instrumentation and software continue to improve, these tools can now be routinely operated by users of all levels, including those with limited expertise.
Raman spectroscopy is used to identify the chemical properties of raw materials including cathode materials, anode materials, and electrolytes used to produce lithium-ion batteries. It’s also used to ensure that the final battery includes the specific composition of materials required for top performance.
The advantages of Raman for battery manufacturing
To demonstrate the advantages of Raman in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, I recently joined two of my colleagues at Thermo Fisher Scientific to show why Raman spectroscopy, including our DXR3 SmartRaman Spectrometer, is a suitable tool at multiple stages of the lithium-ion battery manufacturing process.
Raman spectroscopy can be used to compare different batches of battery-grade lithium hydroxide salts to check for the presence of carbonate contaminants. In this example, the Raman spectrum in red shows no contaminants, while the spectra in violet, green, and blue show the presence of carbonates as contaminants.
Our article, published in Spectroscopy Supplements, explains how Raman can be used to analyze specific lithium compounds for the presence of contaminants. It describes how this technique can help to pinpoint coating defects during the production of anode and cathode films. And it shows how Raman imaging can be used along with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis to identify the root cause of failed batteries.
To learn more, please read the full article, “Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing and Quality Control: Raman Spectroscopy, an Analytical Technique of Choice.”
Sudhir Dahal is a product manager for Raman spectroscopy at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
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