In Situ ATR-FTIR Study of the Cathode-Electrolyte Interphase: Electrolyte Solution Structure, Transition Metal Redox, and Surface Layer Evolution

We present a study of the lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNi_0.6Mn_0.2Co_0.2O₂, NMC622) cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) during galvanostatic charging and discharging using in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) methods to investigate the voltage dependent electrolyte solution structure changes at the interface, transition metal (TM) redox chemistry, and cathode/electrolyte interfacial layer evolution. Our in situ cell design provides both reliable electrochemical device testing and strong FTIR vibrational absorption signals near the cathode surface. Specifically, advanced spectral analysis elucidates changes of near-surface Li⁺ ion (de)solvation by solvent molecules during galvanostatic cycling. Moreover, cathode metal-oxygen vibrational absorptions, sensitive to TM redox behaviors and subsequent local structural variations, were correlated to cathode de-lithiation (and lithiation) and electrolyte solution structure changes. In addition, we have detected the formation and evolution of a CEI surface layer on the NMC622 cathode that contributes to the cell's capacity fade.