Novel cell design for combined in situ acoustic emission and x-ray diffraction study during electrochemical cycling of batteries

An in situ acoustic emission (AE) and x-ray diffraction cell for use in the study of battery electrode materials has been designed and tested. This cell uses commercially available coin cell hardware retrofitted with a metalized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) disk, which acts as both an x-ray window and a current collector. In this manner, the use of beryllium and its associated cost and hazards is avoided. An AE sensor may be affixed to the cell face opposite the PET window in order to monitor degradation effects, such as particle fracture, during cell cycling. Silicon particles, which were previously studied by the AE technique, were tested in this cell as a model material. The performance of these cells compared well with unmodified coin cells, while providing information about structural changes in the active material as the cell is repeatedly charged and discharged. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3607961]