Hierarchical Spatiotemporal Analyses of Reactions Using Synchrotron Radiation and the Design of Next-Generation Energy Conversion Devices

Abstract

To improve the performance of electrochemical devices such as batteries and fuel cells, it is essential to understand reaction hierarchies over wide temporal and spatial ranges. To this end, operando measurement techniques have been developed that enable analysis of the electrode/electrolyte interface of the reaction site, phase transitions of active materials, and macro reactions within real electrodes over various spatial and temporal scales. These analytic techniques pioneer a new way of performing kinetic analysis by introducing axes of space and time into reaction analyses, and are applicable to various types of electrochemical devices. Moreover, a magnesium rechargeable battery featuring the merits of high theoretical energy density, high safety, and easily acquirable raw materials was developed by employing these operando analytic techniques.