nPDFSAS: Simultaneous polarized SANS and NPDF methods to study novel electrode nanomaterials

Sustainable materials are paramount for future battery technologies, where nanostructured electrode materials show promising advantages as increased charge rates, capacity, and stability. Here, we will study the magnetism, morphology and the structure at the both the nanoscale and atomic scale using of iron oxide nanoparticles as model cathode materials for Na/Li batteries. We offer a timely and expert driven development of novel neutron instrumentation and methodology through the combination of polarized small-angle neutron scattering and powder diffraction including total scattering at the instrument DREAM at ESS. Additional X-ray studies will be carried out at the SAXS-WAXS beamline CoSAXS at MAX IV Laboratory. The simultaneous in-situ analysis on multiple length scales currently developed for x-ray instruments will reveal structural and magnetic
changes occurring as response to internal density fluctuations of Na and Li during charge and discharge, local disorder, surface strain and defects during operando conditions. Polarized SANS measurements of the magnetic signature of IONPs during cycling in electrochemical cell will provide a new in-situ tool for monitoring
battery performance ultimately avoid possible failure mechanisms. Operando measurement with polarized neutrons on a time-of-flight source as DREAM is a new approach of demanding techniques unprecedented thus far. Preliminary work will be carried out at MLZ, ISIS, and ILL, and at MAX IV, SLS, and Petra III, respectively.