Principal investigator: Dmitriy Dikin
University: Temple University
Industry partner: Ephemeron Labs Inc.
In 2020, the global battery market was valued at $96 billion and is projected to grow to at least $150 billion by 2030. As the demand for such energy storage devices grows, so does the need to improve battery performance, service life, and safety while reducing cost. To address these challenges, scientists and engineers use different techniques to evaluate and optimize the composition and microstructure of batteries. One known problem concerns the sensitivity of the main components of a battery to moisture and oxygen–even a fraction of a second of exposure will dramatically change its parameters. Containers filled with an inert gas are required both to analyze an open battery and its components and to move them between individual devices. Having a simple transfer module to avoid modifying existing test equipment is critical to lowering a barrier that a manufacturer can quickly use in design, validation, and quality control. The goal of this project is to design and manufacture a working prototype of a low-cost, compact transfer module for subsequent commercially production at Ephemeron Labs Inc. Through this research, we will also help prepare participating Temple University students for work in the high-tech industry related to energy-saving technologies.