One of the biggest obstacles to progress in battery technology is the limited amount of information that one can obtain from the battery mechanism without taking it apart. Here we are presenting a novel nondestructive battery assessment technology that is capable of obtaining crucial information from batteries even when the cells are encased in conductive material. The technique, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allows measuring the magnetic susceptibility of active ingredients inside an electrochemical cell, and how it is affected by the oxidation state of the materials to give insights into the state of charge (SOC) of the battery, and defects. The technique has been demonstrated on various cell types, with different defects and chemistries. Furthermore, current distributions within cells can also be measured with this approach. The measurement is fast, and can be adapted to a large range of cell types.<br/><br/>The technology also enables new opportunities for assessing cells that have undergone accelerated life or high stress testing. We lay out a vision for how this new noninvasive methodology could provide much-needed tools for the development of next-generation battery materials and cell designs that address current and future needs.

Battery diagnostics with inside-out MRI

2019 Fall National Meeting

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