Battery Research Solution: High-Performance Battery Materials Development & Innovation

Material Preparation & Characterization. Electrode active materials, solid electrolytes, and binders are synthesized and characterized. XRD confirms crystal structure, SEM reveals morphology, BET measures surface area, and particle size distribution is analyzed. For solid-state research, ionic conductivity of electrolyte pellets is measured via EIS before cell assembly.

Cell Assembly. Cells are assembled in controlled environments (glove box for Li-metal and solid-state, dry room for pouch cells). Coin cells (CR2032) are the most common for material screening; experimental pouch cells validate practical electrode loading; custom formats address specific research requirements such as three-electrode configurations or solid-state pressure stacks.

Formation & Conditioning. Controlled low-current initial cycles form a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the anode. For solid-state cells, stack pressure optimization and initial wetting (for quasi-solid cells) are performed. Irreversible capacity loss (ICE) is recorded as a key metric. Pouch cells may require degassing after formation.

Electrochemical Testing (CV / EIS / GITT / PITT). Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) reveals redox potentials and reaction kinetics. EIS tracks impedance evolution (Rsei, Rct) across cycling. GITT measures ion diffusion coefficients (DLi) as a function of SOC. PITT provides complementary potentiostatic transient data. All tests are performed in-situ without disassembling the cell, using NEWARE`s integrated CV/EIS platforms.

Rate, Cycle & Temperature Evaluation. Rate capability tests at 0.1C → 5C (or higher for power applications) reveal kinetic limitations. Long-term cycling (500–2000 cycles) tracks capacity retention and Coulombic efficiency evolution. Temperature-dependent tests (-20°C to 60°C) quantify activation energies and identify transport bottlenecks. All tests use automated protocols with periodic EIS/DCIR check-ins for impedance tracking.

Failure Analysis. Cells are disassembled in glove boxes for electrode inspection. SEM/EDS reveals morphological changes, Li dendrite formation, and electrolyte decomposition products. XPS analyzes surface chemistry. Cross-sectional analysis of solid-state interfaces identifies contact loss and crack propagation. EIS before disassembly provides final impedance state. Results feed back into material and cell design iterations.

Prototype Validation. Successful materials and cell designs are scaled from coin cells to larger format pouch cells or custom prototypes. Multiple cells (n ≥ 5) are tested to verify reproducibility. Statistical analysis of capacity, impedance, and cycle life distributions confirms process robustness. Final data packages include full electrochemical characterization, rate/cycle results, and post-mortem findings — ready for publication or technology transfer.