In Situ Synchrotron X-ray Tomography Using XRD-CT, PDF-CT, and Single-Crystal Scattering for Mapping Catalyst Degradation in Li-S Pouch Cells

• Grant number: 25/16087-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: February 25, 2026
• End date: August 24, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Hudson Giovani Zanin
• Grantee: Érick Alves Santos
• Supervisor: Jonathan Paul Wright
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), France
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/02222-0 - Development of prototype pouch cells of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries in solid-liquid state with high stability and advanced scale of technological maturity., BP.DR

Abstract

During the internship, the student will be trained in beamline operation, data analysis, and experimental execution, with an emphasis on studies of energy storage devices at the ID11 and ID15A beamlines. Activities will include performing high-resolution experiments to investigate spinel oxide electrodes in lithium-sulfur pouch and coin cells, using in situ CT-XRD, CT-PDF, and single-crystal scattering techniques to obtain structural information at different spatial scales. Studies will address medium-, and long-range crystalline order, evaluating the physicochemical behavior of the electrodes under different current densities (1C, 5C, and 10C) and temperatures (40 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C). The experiments aim to achieve particle-level resolution (>80 nm) to monitor lithiation and delithiation processes, with particular attention to the (311) reflection from a single grain, enabling determination of lithiation rate and reversibility. Measurements with a temporal resolution of 1 ms will also be performed to monitor phase evolution and degradation mechanisms in real time, correlating structural changes with electrochemical performance. The final stage will involve advanced 3D computational reconstructions, integrating data from particle- and electrode-scale techniques to establish correlations between morphological evolution, phase changes, and battery performance, under the direct supervision of lead researcher Dr. Jonathan Paul Wright.