Revealing Hidden Facts of Li Anode in Cycled Lithium–Oxygen Batteries through X-ray and Neutron Tomography

The gap between the successful application and perspective promise of lithium–oxygen battery (LOB) technology should be filled by an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the underlying working and degradation mechanisms. Herein, the correlation between the morphological evolution of the Li anode and the overall cell electrochemical performance of cycled LOBs has been revealed for the first time by complementary X-ray and neutron tomography, together with further postmortem scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transfrom infrared spectroscopy characterizations. It has been disclosed with solid evidence that the irreversible transformation of anode Li associated with chemical/electrochemical side reactions does link intimately to the observed electrochemical performance decay. The current discoveries not only fundamentally enrich our knowledge of the underlying degradation and failure mechanisms of LOBs but also provide direction for future promising research activities aimed at further enhancing their performance.