Publication date: 15th December 2025
The rapid growth of battery industry required for global transition to emission-free economy created a new challenge – can we provide alternatives to the modern Li-ion batteries? This challenge calls for new materials, chemistries and non-conventional approaches. However, the design of new materials, their efficient implementation in a battery, possible recycling pathways strongly depends on the operating mechanism, i.e. what kind of chemical transformations a material undergoes in a battery cell. In many cases, understanding of failed or well performing materials can greatly assist in optimization and design of new better performing analogues. Our recent work demonstrated that operando methods can be used not only for the analysis of active materials, but also for analysis of other chemical and mechanical processes in batteries, such as relaxation and mechanical deformation of active components. In the present talk, the operando X-ray based methods for characterization of battery materials will be discussed illustrating the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of those techniques.
