Work

Lithium Nuclear Spin Polarization Lifetimes as Sensitive Reporters of Battery Electrolyte Degradation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Nondestructive monitoring of electrolyte degradation is a critical, yet unresolved challenge in the diagnostics of lithium-ion batteries. Here, we report the potential utility of nuclear spin polarization lifetime T1 as a highly sensitive, intrinsic probe for monitoring the health of a model LP30 electrolyte under thermal cycling by using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. We identified a particularly sensitive correlation between the degradation state and 7Li relaxation dynamics that is not observed for other relevant nuclei. Molecular dynamics simulations provide a mechanistic rationale, linking the observed relaxation changes to specific alterations in the Li-ion solvation shell structure during the degradation. These findings establish 7Li spin lifetime as a robust, field-independent analytical metric, with potential application to the noninvasive assessment of battery state-of-health in regimes where chemical shift resolution is insufficient for species discrimination.

Source: ACS Omega

DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.6c04272

Authors: Florin Teleanu, Zhiyuan Gao, Alexej Jerschow

Institutions: Horia Hulubei National Institute for R and D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics, New York University

Language: English

Topic: Battery Modeling and Management

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,935