Tools and Methodologies for the Characterization of Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces

Tools and Methodologies for the Characterization of Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces 

Enviiomnental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA 

Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA e-mail jcabana uic.edu 

low et al. (eds.). Electrolytes for Lithium and Lithium-Ion Batteries, Modem Aspects of Electrochemistry 58, DOI 10.1007/978-l-4939-0302-3 7, Springer Sdence+Business Media New York 2014 

Macroscopically, the most direct means of detecting the formation and growth of layers due to reactions between the electrode surface and the electrolyte is by monitoring the electrical resistance of the electrochemical cell [1, 2]. Since these layers are, in the best case scenario, somewhat ionically conductive, but always electronically insulating [3, 4], an increase in electrical resistance is an indication of their presence. However, many components in an electrochemical cell convolute into its macroscopic electrical resistance. A first level of discrimination between these components is afforded by using AC electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). 

---