X-ray Micro-computed Tomography for Structural Analysis of All-solid-state Battery at Pouch Cell Level, ACS Energy Letters 10,3459-3470(2025)
Chen-Jui Huang, Jin An Sam Oh, Marta Vicencio, Tianchen Hu, Hedi Yang, James N. Burrow, Yen-Fang Song, Gung-Chian Yin, Pavel Shevchenko, Kamila M. Wiaderek, Bing Joe Hwang, and Ying Shirley Meng*
2025/11/26
Characterizing the microstructure of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) during fabrication and operation is vital for their advancement, particularly as scaling to pouch cell levels introduces challenges in probing large-scale microstructural evolution. This work highlights the potential of synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (sXCT) as a nondestructive, rapid (<30 min), and high-resolution technique for visualizing and quantifying key microstructural features, including overhang, porosity, contact loss, active surface area, and tortuosity, in all-solid-state pouch cells. The large field of view (up to millimeters) of sXCT enables detailed analysis at an industry-relevant scale, bridging the gap between laboratory research and commercial applications. Furthermore, integrating realistic sXCT-derived 3D models into multiphysics simulations could provide insights into chemo-mechanical degradation, particularly at the edges of the pouch cells, offering a pathway for designing robust, high-performance ASSBs. This perspective establishes sXCT as an indispensable tool for advancing both the understanding and the engineering of next-generation energy storage systems.