Article

Surface Characterization of High-Performance Battery Materials

Surface Analysis Spotlight: XPS

by Amy Ferryman Analytical Lab and Marketing Manager

The development of advanced battery materials relies on a deep understanding of their surface and interface properties. Information is desired about a surface’s physical topography, chemical composition, chemical structure, atomic structure, electronic state, and bonding of molecules at the surface. No single technique can provide all these different pieces of information. A comprehensive investigation of a surface will always require several methods.

In this presentation, the application of three surface sensitive analysis techniques for the characterization of high performance battery materials will be highlighted, including X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Air-free handling via an inert environment transfer vessel between all instrumental techniques will be demonstrated as well as the use of co-located images, spectra, and elemental maps plus sputter depth profiles to analyze buried interfaces.