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Intercalation of lithium into disordered graphite in a working battery
Author(s) -
Johnsen Rune E.,
Norby Poul,
Leoni Matteo
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576718007756
Subject(s) - graphite , stacking , intercalation (chemistry) , powder diffraction , materials science , lithium (medication) , battery (electricity) , lithium battery , graphene , graphite intercalation compound , electrode , crystallography , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , nanotechnology , ion , composite material , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , medicine , power (physics) , physics , ionic bonding , endocrinology
The structural transformations occurring during the intercalation of lithium into disordered graphite in a working battery were studied in detail by operando X‐ray powder diffraction (XRPD). By using a capillary‐based micro‐battery cell, it was possible to study the stacking disorder in the initial graphite as well as in lithiated graphites. The micro‐battery cell was assembled in its charged state with graphite as positive electrode and metallic lithium as counter electrode. The battery was discharged until a stage II compound (LiC 12 ) was formed. The operando XRPD data reveal that the graphitic electrode material retains a disordered nature during the intercalation process. A DIFFaX+ refinement based on the initial operando XRPD pattern shows that the initial graphite generally has an intergrown structure with domains of graphite 2H and graphite 3R. However, the average stacking sequence of the initial graphite also contains a significant concentration of AA‐type stacking of the graphene sheets. DIFFaX+ was further used to refine structure models of a stage III type compound and the final stage II compound. The refinement of the stage II compound showed that it is dominated by AαAAαA‐type stacking, but that it also contains a significant concentration of AαABβB‐type slabs in the average stacking sequence.