Electrochemical characterization tools for high power energy storage systems

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Electrochemical ultracapacitor is a unique electrochemical energy storage system for high power applications from pulse communication to hand-held tools to electrical and hybrid vehicles. Research on novel material system for ultracapacitor has become time-critical in this era of energy innovation.  This Research Tools and Instrument (RTI) grant is designed to enable the development and characterization of material systems for high-power electrochemical ultracapacitors. The tools requested are not only essential to the new materials in energy research, but also of wide applicability to many other research projects in electrochemical, reliability studies, and surface morphology of materials. The proposed research tools contain two parts: electrochemical and optical characterization.  The tools for electrochemical characterization include a potentiostat, an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and a current booster for dc and ac characterization, a small environmental chamber and a one-person glove box, while the optical characterization tool is a non-contact, optical interferometer.  The dc and ac electrochemical testing equipment are used to study material energy and power responses. The environmental chamber aids for testing material at different temperature and humidity, often at extra strenuous conditions.  The glove box is used for handling materials that are not suitable in air, such as organic solvent.  The optical profilometer is powerful tool for optically characterizing and quantifying surface roughness, step heights, critical dimensions, and other topographical features of a material with excellent nano meter precision and accuracy. Both types of tools will be used extensively, often on a daily basis, by the graduate and undergraduate students who work on electrochemical energy storage.  The equipment will be accessible to other researchers and students at the department of Materials Science and Engineering and at the University of Toronto.