In situ AFM Observations of Li-Oxygen Electrochemical Reactions
  The morphologies of crystalline lithium peroxide (Li2O2) discharge products in Li-O2 batteries have been shown to exhibit a dependency on subtle variations within the battery cell-operating environment including exposure to ambient air, moisture, or additives. As a result, imaging battery discharge products in real time under carefully controlled environmental conditions is a challenging obstacle for complete mechanistic understanding of Li2O2 growth and deposition during discharge in metal-air batteries. Here, we report the design of a completely enclosed cell for high-resolution in situ AFM imaging of Li-O2 battery discharge products. The air-and moisture-free electrochemical cell environment enabled the observation of different product morphologies during AFM imaging when LiTFSI in oxygen-saturated tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme) solvent was employed. This in situ AFM cell development brings complimentary information to various proposed mechanisms for lithium oxygen reaction. 
Hariharan Katharajan, Kumar Virwani, A. David Erpelding, and Jeannette   M. Garcia
cond-mat.mtrl-sci