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The ECS Detroit Section invites you to Dr. Alpesh Khushalchand Shukla's in-person presentation, “Electron Microscopy of Battery Materials: Crystallographic Ambiguities and Experimental Challenges” on April 18 at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.

Abstract
Macroscopic degradation of cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries often begin with microscopic changes and it is important to study pristine and cycled materials at the atomic level. Electron microscopy is widely used to characterize battery materials owing to the high spatial resolution it provides using a variety of imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy techniques. However, researchers are often faced with ambiguities in structural determination of these materials due to similarities between various phases present in battery materials and oversimplifications in interpreting the data. Furthermore, there are experimental challenges due to the electron beam-sensitive and air-sensitive nature of many battery materials. In this talk, Dr. Alpesh Shukla will discuss two examples to demonstrate challenges in structure determination. For lithium- and manganese-rich lithium transition metal oxides, he will demonstrate how atomic resolution, HAADF STEM imaging using multiple zone axes was critical in solving the structure while diffraction provided ambiguous results. For electrochemically cycled nickel-rich lithium transition metal oxides, he will show how electron diffraction, including 4D STEM nanodiffraction mapping helped in correctly identifying the transformed phase as compared to atomic resolution imaging that exhibited higher amount of ambiguity. Finally, he will discuss development of tools such as an air-free transfer in situ TEM holder, an air-free transfer module for FIB/SEM, a cryo-biasing holder and a continuous rotation tomography holder that were designed specifically to address experimental challenges in electron microscopy of air-sensitive and electron beam-sensitive materials.

Student posters
Students are encouraged to present posters. Up to three posters will be presented at this event. The first three students contacting us about presenting their work via ecs.detroit.rsvp@gmail.com will receive $100 and one year of free access to Detroit Section events.

Schedule
1800h Posters and Dinner
1900h Speaker

Fee
Student Presenters:  USD $0
Students: USD $10
Professionals: USD $20
Registration includes dinner

Questions
Contact ecs.detroit.rsvp@gmail.com