In Situ studies of electrochemical processes in automotive materials

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This research program brings together a team of researchers, whose objective is to use in situ techniques to characterize the meso-, nano- and moiecular scale processes that govern device performance in materiais for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. General Motors has identified the electrification of the vehicle as the next driver of automotive technologies. It has also determined, in particular, that cost and reliability of the lithium ion battery is the primary hurdle to achieving wide-spread consumer uptake of this alternative technology. In order to improve the lifetime of the battery, and to avoid conditions which lead to failure or ioss of capacity, the degradation mechanisms of the cell must be understood. This will be achieved using state-of-the-art characterization methods, which can be applied to the operating electrochemical cell that comprises the battery. These methods will enabie the development of "in situ" techniques that are currently not possible - and currently prevent the "scaling up" of lithium ion battery technology from laptop and portable devices to use in automotive applications. The techniques we shall deveiop will support the necessary innovations that will help bring the next generation of automotive batteries in to the cars of tomorrow. In collaboration with General Motors, the team will target the critical processes which determine the state-of-health of the cell. Characterization techniques which can accurately detect and report on the nano-scale mechanisms of cell failure, inclUding changes as a function of materials properties, cycling rates, cell temperatures, and lifetimes are not widely implemented, and for the most part unavailable within industrial research and development facilities. Therefore this partnership offers a powerful new avenue for probing these processes, and feeding information back into the control parameters and operating conditions, to enhance automotive battery performance.