Quantify Battery Electrode Porosity Across Large Volumes with Tescan AMBER X 2

Why Traditional Methods Miss Critical Porosity Behavior in Battery Electrodes

Understanding how electrode porosity affects battery performance requires visibility into internal pores, pore connectivity, and particle detachment. Standard techniques like 2D SEM cross-sectional analysis only reveal partial information. They miss the spatial variation and structural inhomogeneities that drive electrochemical behavior.

Tescan AMBER X 2 enables high-throughput 3D FIB-SEM tomography to evaluate electrode morphology across large volumes with nanoscale resolution and full structural context.

• Large-volume imaging for statistically relevant data
• 3D porosity mapping across full electrode cross sections
• Quantitative porosity and connectivity analysis
• Correlation of structure with electrolyte infiltration and cycling performance

Characterize battery electrode porosity in true 3D using Tescan AMBER X 2 without missing the structural details that matter most. Enhance your understanding of electrode composition by embedding elemental and chemical information from advanced analytical techniques like EDS and ToF-SIMS into the 3D FIB-SEM tomography workflow. 

How Electrode Porosity Was Characterized Using Tescan AMBER X 2

Battery electrodes were examined in their original, unsanctioned state to preserve structure and ensure representative analysis. A cross-sectional region of graphite anode was selected for large-volume FIB-SEM tomography using Tescan AMBER X 2.

Automated Xe plasma FIB milling enabled high-throughput serial slicing across volumes up to 80 µm × 80 µm × 88 µm, while high-resolution SEM imaging captured each layer in fine high detail. This combination allowed for full 3D reconstruction of pore networks and particle connectivity.

Data was processed and visualized using Tescan’s 3D Viewer software, while electrode porosity and pore size distribution were evaluated using Dragonfly 3D World.

With accurate, volumetric insight into real electrode morphology, this workflow supports both R&D and quality control needs.

3D Visualization of Electrode Porosity and Structural Variation

Tescan AMBER X 2 enabled high-resolution 3D imaging of an intact lithium-ion battery electrode. Large-volume 3D FIB-SEM tomography revealed internal pore networks, porosity, and particle detachment in the graphite anode.

Structural variations across layers, including porosity and particle connectivity, were clearly captured at nanoscale resolution. These features directly influence electrolyte infiltration, charge transport, and cycling stability.

Quantitative datasets provided statistically meaningful comparisons across materials and batches, supporting both design optimization and process quality control.

With this level of volumetric insight, you can uncover how electrode structure drives performance across charge cycles.