Differential Thermal Analysis of Li-Ion Cells as an Effective Probe of Liquid Electrolyte Evolution during Aging

A technique has been developed to allow for in-situ observation of the state of the liquid electrolyte present in an electrochemical device through exploiting the nature of solid-liquid phase transitions. An apparatus was developed to perform differential thermal analysis (DTA) on complete NMC/graphite lithium-ion pouch cells. The DTA apparatus monitored the temperature of a sample cell alongside that of a thermally inert reference cell during a controlled temperature scan through the melting point of the electrolyte in the sample cell, producing a thermal signature of the sample electrolyte without damage to the cell performance. This signature holds information pertaining to the composition and amount of liquid electrolyte present in the electrochemical device, allowing for detailed study of electrolyte evolution at various points of life and indications of the state-of-health of the device.