Abstract
Chemical energy storage using batteries will become increasingly important for future environmentally friendly (green) societies. The lithium-ion battery is the most advanced energy storage system, but its application has been limited to portable electronics devices owing to cost and safety issues. State-of-the-art LiFePO"4 technology as a new cathode material with surprisingly high charge-discharge rate capability has opened the door for large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries such as in plug-in hybrid vehicles. The scientific community has raised the important question of why a facile redox reaction is possible in the insulating material. Geometric information on lithium diffusion is essential to understand the facile electrode reaction of Li(x)FePO"4 (0<x<1), but previous approaches have been limited to computational predictions. Here, we provide long-awaited experimental evidence for a curved one-dimensional chain for lithium motion. By combining high-temperature powder neutron diffraction and the maximum entropy method, lithium distribution along the [010] direction was clearly visualized.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 707-711 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Nature Materials |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2008 Sep |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering