Spatially Resolved Phase Analysis in Sodium Metal Halide Batteries: Neutron Diffraction and Tomography

Neutron methods are powerful tools for non-destructive investigation of batteries. Taking as an example the case study of a Fe/NaCl based battery, we investigate a discharged and a half-charged battery using spatially resolved neutron tomography and powder diffraction. Both batteries, the discharged and the half-charged, were studied by neutron tomography to identify the inner structure of the cells. The analysis of the neutron diffraction data allowed identification and quantification of the reaction zones as well as the phase distribution across the cross section of the half-charged battery. (C) 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.058211jes] All rights reserved.