BAMR

In situ analysis of commercial batteries basedon plug-and-play multi-nuclear magneticresonance spectroscopy and surface-scanimaging

01/03/2026 to 29/02/2028

Three major attributes of a battery cell used in portable devices and electric vehicles (EV) are energy density, life cycle span and safety. Heat generating components of cells can pose various risks including thermal runaway in EV. Such risks increase for substandard electrochemical materials and mechanical defects in individual cells. Magnetic resonance (MR) methods are valuable candidates as analytical tools for assessing battery cells, as they are sensitive to a broad range of material properties (e.g., local structure and environment, transport and dynamics, morphology on both micro- and macroscopic scales, thermodynamics, and magnetism) regardless of the atomic mass of the interrogated elements.
We will establish novel methodological frameworks for fundamental and applied analyses of commercial Li and Na-ion cells using multi-modal in situ/operando probes based on surface-scan MRI and plug&play NMR concepts, that will enable measurements of state-of-charge and state-of-health of cells in a highly time-efficient manner. Morover, novel prospects towards improved understanding of electrochemical phenomena in commercial Li- and Na-ion battery cells of various designs and dimensions (flat pouch, prismatic, and cylindrical cells) will be pursued.