Uppsala Photon Science Award 2022

The Centre for Photon Science is happy to announce Ida Källquist as the winner of the Uppsala Photon Science Award 2022. Ida's work deals with understanding electrochemical reactions inside lithium-ion batteries:

My research is centered around interfaces in electrochemical systems, and how these can be better understood by the use of spectroscopic techniques. A large part of my work has involved using and developing methods for measuring Li-ion battery systems using photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). PES is an ideal technique for studying electrochemical interfaces, as it is both surface sensitive and also can distinguish between different oxidation state and/or chemical environments in the sample. During the last ~15 years major instrument developments have been made in the field, which now allows for measurements under more realistic conditions, where both gas and liquid phases can be included. This is in stark contrast to the traditional photoelectron spectroscopy performed in ultra-high vacuum, where only solid phases could be probed. With these new instruments the possibility for measuring batteries operando (i.e., during cycling) has arisen. However, these measurements are very challenging both because of the complexity of the system and also because of the practical challenge to design a setup that allows for measuring the solid/liquid interface operando. I have to a large part been involved in developing such a methodology for performing operando studies of Li-ion battery system. Operando measurements in general, and operando PES in particular have the possibility to give significant new insights into the dynamics and kinetics of the reactions occurring at the electrochemical interfaces. This knowledge is often seen as one of the crucial puzzle pieces for developing new high-energy density batteries with well-functioning interfaces.