Post-mortem analyses of battery cells are used to investigate and clarify electrode degradation. For this purpose, commercial or laboratory cells are opened and decomposed under an inert atmosphere (e.g.: argon) in a glove box. With in-house analytics, elemental/structural analyses can be performed and the morphology of cell components can be examined to evaluate the state of battery components.
Equipment
When opening a cell, it is important to document this process precisely, to study the cell construction technique and to take samples for material. The following procedures can be used for this purpose:
Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (WD-XRF)
X-ray diffraction (XRD)
Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (SEM/EDAX)
BET measurements to determine the specific surface area
Impedance spectroscopic investigations on battery cells
