Application of High-Contrast Neutron Imaging Technique to Advanced Chemical Batteries

The neutron radiography is the excellent technique to visualize especially the light elements such as H and Li. We have revealed the distribution of the Li ions in the primary battery and measured the transport number of Li ion in the lithium ion conductors by using neutron radiography (NR). In the present study, we have applied this technique to the measurement of diffusion coefficient of Li-ions in perovskite-type structured La1/3-xLi3xNbO3 from the gradation of NR image in 6Li-smeared sample, and to the analysis of lithium distribution in the anode and cathode materials of Li-ion batteries.