Reduction-oxidation (redox) reactions that transfer conduction electrons from the anode to the cathode are the fundamental processes responsible for generating power in Li-ion batteries. Electronic and microstructural features of the cathode material are controlled by the nature of the redox orbitals and how they respond to Li intercalation. Thus, redox orbitals play a key role in performance of the battery and its degradation with cycling. We unravel spectroscopic descriptors that can be used to gain an atomic-scale handle on the redox mechanisms underlying Li-ion batteries. Our focus is on X-ray Compton Scattering and Positron Annihilation spectroscopies and the related computational approaches for the purpose of identifying orbitals involved in electrochemical transformations in the cathode. This review provides insight into the workings of lithium-ion batteries and opens a pathway for rational design of next-generation battery materials.

X-ray Compton scattering experiments along with parallel first-principles computations were carried out on LiNiO2 to understand the effects of W doping on this cathode material for Li-ion batteries. By employing high-energy x rays exceeding 100 keV, an insight is gained into the fate of the W valence electrons, which are adduced to undergo transfer to empty O 2p energy bands within the active oxide matrix of the cathode. The substitution of W for Ni is shown to increase the electronic conductivity and to enhance the total magnetization per Ni atom. Our study demonstrates that an analysis of line shapes of Compton scattered x rays in combination with theoretical modeling can provide a precise method for an atomic level understanding of the nature of the doping process.

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a powerful probe to investigate the interfaces in materials relevant for energy storage such as Li-ion batteries. The key to the interpretation of the results is the positron implantation profile, which is a spatial function related to the characteristics of the materials forming the battery. We provide models for the positron implantation profile in a cathode of a Li-ion battery coin cell. These models are the basis for a reliable visualization of multilayer geometries and their interfaces in thin cathodes of lithium-ion batteries.