Researchers develop method to examine batteries -- from the inside

February 13, 2012

There is an ever-increasing need for advanced batteries for portable electronics, such as phones, cameras, and music players, but also to power electric vehicles and to facilitate the distribution and storage of energy derived from renewable energy sources. But, once a battery fails, there are no corrective measures-how do you look inside a battery without destroying it?

Now, researchers at Cambridge University, Stony Brook University, and New York University have developed methodology, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to do just that. Their technique, which is described in the journal Nature Materials, also creates the possibility of improving battery performance and safety by serving as a diagnostic of its internal workings.

MRI has been extremely successful in the medical field for visualizing disorders and assessing the body's response to therapy. However, MRI is not typically used in the presence of a lot of metal, a primary component in many batteries. This is because conducting surfaces effectively block the radio frequency fields that are used in MRI to see beneath surfaces or inside the human body.

The researchers, however, turned this limitation into a virtue. Because radio frequency fields do not penetrate metals, one can actually perform very sensitive measurements on the surfaces of the conductors. In the case of the popular lithium-ion batteries, for example, the team was able to directly visualize the build-up of lithium metal deposits on the electrodes after charging the battery. Such deposits can also detach from the surface, eventually leading to overheating, battery failure, and - in some cases - to fire or explosion.

Visualizing small changes on the surface of the batteries' electrodes allows, in principle, for the testing of many different battery designs and materials under normal operating conditions.

The work is the result of a collaboration between Clare Grey, associate director of the Northeastern Center for Chemical Energy Storage and a professor at Cambridge and Stony Brook universities, and Alexej Jerschow, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at New York University who heads a multi-disciplinary MRI research laboratory.

"New electrode and electrolyte materials are constantly being developed, and this non-invasive MRI technology could provide insights into the microscopic processes inside batteries, which hold the key to eventually making batteries lighter, safer, and more versatile," said Jerschow. "Both electrolyte and electrode surfaces can be visualized with this technique, thus providing a comprehensive picture of the batteries' performance-limiting processes."

"MRI is exciting because we are able to identify where the chemical species inside the battery are located without having to take the battery apart, a procedure which to some degree defeats the purpose," added Grey. "The work clearly shows how we can use the method to identify where lithium deposits form on metal electrodes. The resolution is not yet where we want it to be and we would like to extend the method to much larger batteries, but the information that we were able to get from these measurements is unprecedented."

The project's other researchers were: S. Chandrashekar, a postdoctoral fellow at both Stony Brook and New York Universities, Nicole Trease, a postdoctoral fellow at Stony Brook University, and Hee Jung Chang, a Stony Brook University graduate student.

"We still have some way to go to make the images better resolved, and make imaging time shorter," Chandrashekar noted, "We feel that with this work, we have made the field wide open for interesting applications."

The research team also envisions that the method could lead to the study of irregularities and cracks on conducting surfaces in the materials sciences field. In addition, they add, the methods developed here could be highly valuable in the quest for enhanced battery performance and in the evaluation of other electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells.

University of Cambridge

---

---

	Batteries, Bulbs, and Wires (Young Discoverers: Science Facts and Experiments) by David Glover (Author) With projects ranging from building a basic battery-connected circuit to a do-it -yourself burglar alarm, children will have fun discovering the properties and principles of electricity.
	Linden's Handbook of Batteries, 4th Edition by Thomas Reddy (Author) The most complete and up-to-date guide to battery technology and selection Thoroughly revised throughout, Linden's Handbook of Batteries, Fourth Editions provides authoritative coverage of the characteristics, properties, and performance of every major battery type. New information on emerging battery systems and their applications is included in this definitive volume. International experts offer unparalleled technical guidance on using leading-edge technologies, materials, and methods in new designs and products, and selecting the most suitable battery for a particular application. All of the in-depth data you need is contained in this comprehensive resource. The book will be useful to graduate students, battery researchers, applications engineers, and all others interested in...
	Batteries in a Portable World: A Handbook on Rechargeable Batteries for Non-Engineers, Third Edition by Isidor Buchmann (Author) Manufacturers base the performance of electronic devices on a perfect battery, a condition that only exists when the battery is new. By reading Batteries in a Portable World, you will acquire a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of the battery, learn about different battery types and discover what conditions are best for a battery. The book is easy and entertaining to read and makes minimal use of technical jargon. It addresses the busy professional who needs a crash course on batteries; the engineer who searches for a battery to kick-start a product; the student who seeks answers for an academic project; as well as the everyday battery user who wants to learn how to extend the life of a battery.
	Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment (Essentials of Psychological Assessment) by Dawn P. Flanagan (Author), Samuel O. Ortiz (Author), Vincent C. Alfonso (Author) Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently conduct Cross-Battery AssessmentThe Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Cross-Battery assessment approach (also referred to as the XBA approach) is a time-efficient assessment method grounded solidly in contemporary psychometric theory and research. The XBA approach systematically integrates data across cognitive and achievement batteries, enabling mental health professionals to expand their traditional assessments to more comprehensively address referral concerns. This approach also includes guidelines for identification of specific learning disabilities and assessing cognitive capabilities of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals.Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, this volume is...
	Charging the Human Battery by Mac Anderson (Author) Are you ready to ignite your passion and charge your life? Mac Anderson, Simple Truths founder, shares his ideas for you to learn how to motivate yourself and ignite your inner fire. Mac has authored or co-authored 10 books that have sold more than 2 million copies. But he says, "This one is very special. For 5 years 'Charging the Human Battery' has been one of the topics for keynote speeches and now I get the opportunity to share my thoughts with the rest of the world. People, I've found, are like sticks of dynamite ... the powers on the inside but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit. Therefore, it's my hope that as you read this little book, there will be many 'a-ha moments' to light your fuse, and keep it lit, through good times and bad." Charging the Human Battery is a book...
	Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart (Author)
	Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. by Bobbi Conner (Author) From the joy of smearing glue on paper to the screaming delight of a bubble-blowing relay, kids love to play. In fact, it's every kid's built-in tool for experiencing the world at large. A parent-friendly encyclopedia, UNPLUGGED PLAY ("A wonderful guide," says Daniel Goleman) offers hundreds and hundreds of battery-free, screen-free, chirp-and-beep-free games and fun variations that stretch the imagination, spark creativity, building strong bodies, and forge deep friendships...and keep kids busy at the table while mom or dad makes dinner.
	Battery Management Systems for Large Lithium Ion Battery Packs by Davide Andrea (Author) A battery management system (BMS) is any electronic device that manages a rechargeable battery pack. The BMS monitors the battery pack's state, calculates secondary data, offers protection, and controls its environment. This timely book provides a solid understanding of battery management systems (BMS) in large Li-Ion battery packs, describing the important technical challenges in this field and exploring the most effective solutions. Professionals find in-depth discussions on BMS topologies, functions, and complexities, helping them determine which permutation is right for their application. Packed with numerous graphics, tables, and images, the book explains the 'whys' and 'hows' of Li-Ion BMS design, installation, configuration and troubleshooting. This hands-on resource includes an...
	Battery Operated Boyfriend (Robot Fetish) Maybel understood it was taboo to be attracted to robots, no matter how realistic or gorgeous they were. When Leon got an upgrade for male anatomy, her jealousy piqued along with her curiosity. What did he need a penis and semen for anyway? Content Warning: this short story contains adult material with explicit sexual situations and language. Full of hot, vigorous sex and not for the faint of heart. All characters are 18+. No minors are depicted in this work. Word count: 15,000 + words
	Batteries Not Required by Samhain Publishing, Ltd. Wanted: One fling, orgasmic satisfaction guaranteed. In Dana Appleby’s experience, really bad, boring sex and long-term relationships seem to go hand-in-hand. Enough is enough. She’s now on a mission and her main objective is finding excitement in the bedroom. And she knows just who she wants to give it to her: Reese Cooper. Short-term relationships are Reese’s specialty—and so is sex. Dana’s proposal to have a little fling is right up his alley, but things go awry when he starts to realize short-term isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And suddenly the idea of Dana moving onto someone else doesn’t appeal one bit. So, what’s a guy to do? The only thing he can do. Set out to show Dana that long-term doesn’t necessarily mean boring. Not with relationships—and definitely...