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CALISToM builds on the advances made in a previous ANR project from 2022–2025 called NanoLiT. This new project will focus on advancing the state of the art in the study of lithium mobility. To address key questions that remained unexplored during the first project, we will use a unique methodology based on advanced microscopy as well as NMR. High-resolution SIMS and lithium isotope tracing will also be employed. The results obtained will provide an unprecedented understanding of lithium dynamics within the active material, as well as at the electrode-electrolyte interface (SEI) of next-generation nanostructured silicon electrodes. This approach will position our consortium at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field of research. The impact of pre-lithiation on the evolution of lithium transport properties within the SEI will also be determined.

Combining modeling with experimental data will make it possible to determine the contribution of silicon nanostructuring. It will provide insight into how cycling conditions affect the behavior and electrochemical properties of the SEI. The impact of electrolyte additives and the use of liquid ionic electrolytes will also be studied and compared to conventional carbonate electrolytes. An examination of trapping effects and the pathways of lithium ions within the SEI and/or the active material will lead to an in-depth description of the mechanisms involved in the failure scenario of silicon-based electrodes. The objectives are to gain a detailed understanding of the transport properties between the electrodes and the electrolyte in order to better control these phenomena and further optimize the design of next-generation electrodes.

In addition, the CALISToM project will implement and refine innovative correlative characterization methodologies. These procedures will represent a significant advance in our understanding of pre-lithiation and diffusion mechanisms. These methods can be applied to numerous other topics in the field of batteries in general.

The CALISToM project brings together the IMN, CEA-LITEN, CEA-ISAS, the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), and E-Magy (Netherlands). It is coordinated by Nicolas Dupré of the IMN’s ST2E team.

On the IMN side, the research will be conducted by: Nicolas Dupré, Bernard Lestriez, Michael Paris, and Patrick Soudan.