Meaning
High-resolution X-ray computed tomography imaging evaluates internal battery architectures non-destructively through rotational projection capture and volumetric reconstruction algorithms. Micro CT metrology provides quantitative dimensional data for electrode layers, separator boundaries and particle distribution within sealed cylindrical and prismatic cells. Industrial quality laboratories apply this technique to detect microscopic defects including active material voids, current collector delamination and separator pinching before volume manufacturing commitments occur.
Resolution limits restrict the method to sub-micron voxel sizes, which requires localized sample extraction from larger cell formats when inspecting specific defect regions.
Void Quantification
Porosity analysis inside active material coatings determines electrode packing density and ion diffusion pathways. Density variations across anode and cathode layers alter battery performance parameters during high-rate charge cycles. Software algorithms segment gray-scale values to calculate void volume fractions without destroying the surrounding battery structure.
Particle Characterization
Cathode active material agglomerates undergo morphological examination to measure particle size distributions and sphericity indexes. Sintering anomalies inside lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides generate microcracks that accelerate capacity fade over extended cycle testing. Automated segmentation routines identify individual particles within dense agglomerates to verify powder synthesis consistency against material specification sheets.
Assembly Verification
Internal alignment checks measure separator overhang dimensions and jelly roll winding tension inside cylindrical cells. Thermal expansion forces during active cycling displace electrode components when mechanical constraints fall below design thresholds. Quality engineers inspect production samples to confirm proper separator positioning between positive and negative foils, which prevents internal short circuits during field operations.
