Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
This opportunity is not published. No applications will be accepted.
Design of an electrochemical pressure cell for battery
During lithium ion battery operation, volume changes in the battery’s electrodes lead to significant internal pressure. We characterize how this pressure changes battery structure and influences performance. For this purpose, we want to design an electrochemical pressure cell for battery testing.
Keywords: Lithium ion battery, CAD design, Engineering, electrochemistry
Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) consist of a positive (cathode) and a negative (anode) electrode, with a separator in between. During discharging of the battery, the positively charged lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode while the corresponding negative charges drive the load that is connected to the battery. Upon charging, the opposite process takes place and lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode and get stored there.
This lithiation/delithation results in substantial volume changes of the battery’s electrodes (> 300% for silicon anodes) and, as a consequence, all battery components are exposed to significant pressure during battery operation. Our laboratory characterizes how this pressure changes the structure of battery components and influences battery performance.
Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) consist of a positive (cathode) and a negative (anode) electrode, with a separator in between. During discharging of the battery, the positively charged lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode while the corresponding negative charges drive the load that is connected to the battery. Upon charging, the opposite process takes place and lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode and get stored there. This lithiation/delithation results in substantial volume changes of the battery’s electrodes (> 300% for silicon anodes) and, as a consequence, all battery components are exposed to significant pressure during battery operation. Our laboratory characterizes how this pressure changes the structure of battery components and influences battery performance.
The goal of this project is to design, build, and test an electrochemical pressure cell that allows applying controlled pressure on battery components during electrochemical operation. The final cell design will be compatible with standard electrochemical characterization methods (battery cycling, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry) and/or X-ray tomographic imaging techniques used in the laboratory.
Your tasks:
• evaluate the designs for battery test cells that are currently used in our laboratory
• design an electrochemical pressure cell
• select suitable materials and production methods for the new cell design
• validate the cell design in electrochemical and/or X-ray tomographic measurements with battery materials
The goal of this project is to design, build, and test an electrochemical pressure cell that allows applying controlled pressure on battery components during electrochemical operation. The final cell design will be compatible with standard electrochemical characterization methods (battery cycling, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry) and/or X-ray tomographic imaging techniques used in the laboratory.
Your tasks:
• evaluate the designs for battery test cells that are currently used in our laboratory
• design an electrochemical pressure cell
• select suitable materials and production methods for the new cell design
• validate the cell design in electrochemical and/or X-ray tomographic measurements with battery materials
Dr. Raphael Zahn rzahn@ethz.ch
Christina Sauter sauterc@ethz.ch