It is a global scientific problem to accurately measure the microscopic and transient dynamic transmission process of ions in the battery in situ, which is of vital importance to deeply understand the working mechanism of battery energy storage and develop new battery systems. At present, researchers can only measure the ion information and microscopic reaction process in the battery through large-scale analytical instruments, mainly including X-ray diffractometer, neutron diffractometer and Raman spectrum analyzer. However, these devices are not only expensive, but also harsh, so they cannot be applied to the actual environment where batteries are used. Therefore, it is urgent to develop in-situ detection technology for battery terminals.
In order to overcome this problem, the researchers put forward a high-sensitivity plasma vibrating optical fiber electrochemical sensing technology, which realized the real-time, in-situ and accurate measurement of the dynamic distribution of nano-electrons and ions in the battery and the dynamic process of energy storage for the first time in the world. The fiber core of the optical fiber sensor is engraved with an inclined fiber grating, and the surface of the optical fiber is plated with a nano-gold film. Through accurate polarization control, the core mode is excited to the fiber cladding with high efficiency, and then the cladding mode is transformed into plasma vibration wave with concentrated energy through the vibration of the gold film on the fiber surface, thus establishing the coupling channel between the optical field inside the fiber and the external electric field, and realizing the accurate measurement of nano-scale electrons and ions on the surface by the optical field inside the fiber.
The team took the lead in accurately measuring the important dynamic process of energy storage, "nano-scale ions are embedded and detached on the electrode surface", which provided important method support for revealing the micro-working mechanism of the battery and developing new battery systems.
This research work is supported by the key project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Runlin Wang, a graduate student of Jinan University, is the first author of this article. Guo Tuan, a professor of Jinan University, and Lu Xihong, a professor of Sun Yat-sen University are the corresponding authors of this article.
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