Quantifying the Growth and Evolution of Particle Cracking in Mo₂C Anode with Different Cycles Using Soft X-ray Imaging

Abstract

Mechanical properties play a crucial role in the degradation of battery performance, and a comprehensive understanding of particle crack formation is vital for optimizing battery materials. Here, we focus on Mo 2 C, a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries, and we employ soft X-ray tomography to observe the internal structure of Mo 2 C particles at different cycle numbers. The growth and evolution of cracking have been quantified by analyzing the porosity and morphological complexity of the particles based on the reconstruction images. Furthermore, considering the tendency for hole formation during particle preparation, we investigate the impact of such defects on crack propagation and the evolution of cracking. Irreversible cracking during cell operation can significantly contribute to the degradation of the Mo 2 C anode performance. In addition, the presence of internal defects in the particles influences the direction of crack propagation and intensifies the evolution of cracking. This study offers valuable insights into the synthesis and modification strategies for Mo 2 C materials, which can help enhance battery performance.