Current Trends in SECM for Energy Storage Devices: Reaching the Microstructure Level to Tune Devices and Performance

Increasing demand for sustainable energy resources necessitates the advancements of electrochemical energy storage and conversion (EESC) devices. For optimal device performance, it is imperative to have comprehensive insight into the multiple electrochemical processes occurring at the electrode-electrolyte interface from the atomic/molecular scale to the nanoscale. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), a powerful in situ technique, offers the unique advantage of probing electrochemical processes and topography with nanoscale resolution. This review emphasizes the crucial role of SECM in providing localized information about surface heterogeneity, electrode reactions, and their kinetics that lead to performance deterioration in batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors.