The potential of secondary ion mass spectrometry for battery research

Battery researchers must study the degradation reactions in battery materials and at material interfaces to improve them. Most use standard electrochemical methods to characterize their batteries, but these measurements do not investigate microscopic degradation processes.

Lombardo et al. believe secondary ion mass spectrometry is an underutilized analytical technique in battery research. The authors introduce this technique and explain how its high sensitivity will allow deeper analysis of battery degradation processes, products, and their relationships.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry reveals a sample’s chemical composition by bombarding the surface with ions. The ions chip away at the surface to release secondary ions. Analyzing these secondary ions yields images with high spatial and mass resolutions, and researchers can carry out 3D mass mapping.

However, this method is not without disadvantages. The authors also discuss its pitfalls and best practices. They note that false interpretations exist in the literature because of a failure to account for how ions and electrons charge the sample surface.

The authors hope to encourage battery researchers to incorporate this method into their toolbox.

“Hopefully, researchers unfamiliar with secondary ion mass spectrometry will read this to get a fast introduction to the basics of this method and learn how to apply it in battery research,” said author Marcus Rohnke. “Afterwards, they can be on the lookout for cooperation partners.”

The provided overview of machines will help newcomers decide which secondary ion mass spectrometer will suit their work. But the authors also include helpful information for seasoned users of the technique.

“Operators of secondary ion mass spectrometers might use this paper as a tutorial to be faster and more successful with these special types of samples,” Rohnke said.

Source: “ToF-SIMS in battery research: Advantages, limitations, and best practices,” by Teo Lombardo, Felix Walther, Christine Kern, Yannik Moryson, Timo Weintraut, Anja Henss, and Marcus Rohnke, Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A (2023). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0002850 .

This paper is part of the Reproducibility Challenges and Solutions II with a Focus on Surface and Interface Analysis Collection, learn more here .