For consumer electronic devices, long-life, stable, and reasonably fast
charging Li-ion batteries with good stable capacities are a necessity. For
exciting and important advances in the materials that drive innovations
in electrochemical energy storage (EES), modular thin-fi
lm solar cells, and
wearable, fl
exible technology of the future, real-time analysis and indication of
battery performance and health is crucial. Here, developments in color-coded
assessment of battery material performance and diagnostics are described,
and a vision for using electro-photonic inverse opal materials and all-optical
probes to assess, characterize, and monitor the processes non-destructively
in real time are outlined. By structuring any cathode or anode material in
the form of a photonic crystal or as a 3D macroporous inverse opal, color-
coded “chameleon” battery-strip electrodes may provide an amenable way
to distinguish the type of process, the voltage, material and chemical phase
changes, remaining capacity, cycle health, and state of charge or discharge
of either existing or new materials in Li-ion or emerging alternative battery
types, simply by monitoring its color change.