Intercalation

Here’s a quick post giving a surface level explanation of intercalation. Intercalation at large is a process in which a guest atom, ion, or molecule is reversibly inserted into a host [1] Intercalation in batteries occurs when cations from the anode are reversibly inserted into vacant sites in the cathode material (a crystal lattice). This occurs in tandem with the movement of electrons through an external circuit to achieve electroneutrality [1]. The driving force for intercalation during discharge is the spontaneous redox reaction at the electrode surface. Intercalation and de-intercalation mechanisms are what enable batteries to be rechargeable. During battery discharge, cations move through the electrolyte from the anode and are inserted into the cathode crystal lattice. This involves a slight change in the crystal lattice structure. During battery charging, the cations are de-intercalated and move back to the anode.

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References

[1] Odetallah, M., & Kuss, C. (2023). A Review of Chemically Induced Intercalation and Deintercalation in Battery Materials. In Energy Technology (Vol. 11, Issue 3). John Wiley and Sons Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.202201060