Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are today the main energy storage devices from portable electronics devices to electric vehicles. LIB have a high energy density, low self-discharge, and low memory effect allowing for large number of charging cycle without degrading storage capacity. Performance, cost and safety are the main factors driving research and different chemistry are investigated in order to achieve better performance at a lower cost and increase safety.

Research, development and quality control of LIB can benefit much from X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Focused-Ion Beam – Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM).

MicroCT allows for complete non-destructive acquisition of a complete battery cell, allowing to control the production process and to monitor the changes occurring in the structure during multiple charging cycles. Different visualization techniques are proposed on a 7µm microCT acquisition of a Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide cell 18650 (NMC) which allow for a visual inspection of the internal structure of the cell, including techniques of unfolding to look at rolled electrodes and measurement such as electrode thickness, height, or length.

Macroscopic properties of a battery, including mechanical, thermal and electrical, find their origins at a nano-scale. Using FIB-SEM, high resolution images can be acquired which can reveal the structure of the electrodes or the separator. Besides the volume fraction or surface areas of the different phases, the connectivity of pores and/or particles, their surface of contacts, path tortuosity or constrictivity, permeability or molecular diffusivity, become accessible. We will present simulation results on permeability and tortuosity on this sample.

We will also present correlative experiment, performing first a microCT scan of a cathode foil sample on its aluminium collector, spotting sites of interest in it, and acquiring those volumes with FIB-SEM.