Inhomogeneous Aging in Lithium‐Ion Batteries Caused by Temperature Effects

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used as electrochemical energy storage devices due to their advantages in energy and power density as well as their reliability. One research focus is the cyclic lifetime of LIB, where the influence of thermal conditions during cycling is not yet completely understood. In previous publications, investigations on the cyclic aging behavior of LIB under various thermal boundary conditions are presented, including defined temperature gradients and temperature transients. Thereupon, herein, the results of cell openings and an extensive postmortem study with analyses of scanning electron micrographs, electrode thickness, X‐ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy are presented, evaluated, and correlated with the thermal conditions. The results reveal significant variations on the electrode and atomic scale for the different thermal boundary conditions during cycling. The electrodes exposed to a temperature gradient exhibit an inhomogeneous distribution of aging behavior that directly correlates with the local temperature. Cycling with superimposed transient temperatures reveals fundamentally different aging effects. With this knowledge, critical temperature conditions can be avoided in applications to prolong cyclic lifetime.