Electron Spectroscopic Investigations of Alkaline‐Based Battery‐Relevant Reference Materials

ABSTRACT Electron spectroscopy with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) plays an important role for the characterization of chemical processes occurring in batteries. The interpretation of chemical species is not always straightforward because of the high reactivity of the alkaline elements. The occurrence of many possible chemical species at the battery electrodes and energy referencing problems at the mostly insulating reaction layers are challenging for the spectroscopic investigations. We discuss here results of a series of measurements for reference materials based on the elements lithium (Li), potassium (K), and sodium (Na). Occurring binding energy shifts and possible beam damage during the experiments are summarized.