Search

The mechanical response is one of the main factors that influence the capacity and number of cycles of lithium batteries, which hinder its wide application. Therefore, it is crucial to perform an in-depth investigation of the electro-chemo-mechanical coupling performance and work mechanism of battery electrodes during the electrochemical reaction process. Usually, graphite is the main active material used in commercially used batteries, while silicon is gaining worldwide attention because of its large energy density. Here, graphite and silicon composite electrodes were prepared to obtain the electro-chemo-mechanical response during electrochemical cycling by an in situ bending deformation measurement. The findings indicate that the composite electrodes could induce a large bending deformation, with an increase in the state of charge (C-rate). And, with an increase in the C-rate, the deformation degree of the silicon composite electrode increases, while that of the graphite composite electrode decreases due to the hardening properties of the graphite particles. In addition, increasing the thickness ratio could induce an increase in the peak stress for both composite electrodes. This work gives a detailed analysis of the mechanical properties of composite electrodes and finds the working mechanism of the C-rate and thickness ratio, which can supply suggestions for the development of high-performance batteries.

The global production landscape exhibits a substantial need for efficient and clean energy. Enhancing and advancing energy storage systems are a crucial avenue to optimize energy utilization and mitigate costs. Lithium batteries are the most effective and impressive energy utilization system at present, with good safety, high energy density, excellent cycle performance, and other advantages, occupying most of the market. However, due to the defects in the electrode material of the battery itself, the electrode will undergo the process of expansion, stress evolution, and electrode damage during electro-chemical cycling, which will degrade battery performance. Therefore, the detection of property changes in the electrode during electro-chemical cycling, such as the evolution of stress and the modulus change, are useful for preventing the degradation of lithium-ion batteries. This review presents a current overview of measurement systems applied to the performance detection of batteries' electrodes, including the multi-beam optical stress sensor (MOSS) measurement system, the digital image correlation (DIC) measurement system, and the bending curvature measurement system (BCMS), which aims to highlight the measurement principles and advantages of the different systems, summarizes a part of the research methods by using each system, and discusses an effective way to improve the battery performance.