INTERFACE USING SURFACE ENHANCED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

THERE IS MUCH INTEREST IN RECHARGEABLE SOLID-STATE LITHIUM BATTERIES. POLYMER ELECTROLYTES HAVE BEEN EVALUATED FOR THIS APPLICATION, HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT REACTIVITY HAS BEEN OBSERVED BETWEEN THE POLYMER ELECTROLYTES AND LITHIUM. THIS REACTIVITY COULD BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THE FUNCTIONING OF THE LITHIUM BATTERY IF RESISTIVE FILMS FORM OR IF GOOD INTERFACIAL CONTACT IS LOST BETWEEN THE LITHIUM AND THE POLYMER ELECTROLYTE. WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE REACTIONS AT THE LITHIUM/POLYMER ELECTROLYTE INTERFACE USING SURFACE ENHANCED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY (SERS). THIS TECHNIQUE WILL ALLOW THE MONITORING OF THE VIBRATIONAL SPECTRUM OF SPECIES ON THE LITHIUM ELECTRODE SURFACE WHILE THE ELECTRODE REMAINS IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL, I.E., IN SITU. THUS THIS TECHNIQUE OFFERS THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE REACTIONS ON THE LITHIUM AS THEY WOULD OCCUR, IN SITU, IN A LITHIUM BATTERY.