Electrochemical storage Li-ion/Na/Zn batteries are under vast development recently for the applications in electrical vehicles (EV), electrical aircrafts, and power grids. However, technical challenges exist hindering the wider applications of batteries. For instance, battery materials are degrading during charging and discharging cycles, producing various defects inside electrodes and electrolyte. This can lead to issues such as short circuits, thermal runaway and ultimately battery failure and fire incident. Accurate characterization and in-situ monitoring of battery health is needed, so that necessary action can be taken to mitigate the risks of battery failure.
This project will develop ultrasound-based techniques to enable highly-sensitive detection and characterization of anomalies in batteries. We will deploy ultrasonic sensors on the battery in-situ. Ultrasonic waves will be sent to probe material changes inside the battery and the signals will be analyzed to quantify the details of defects. A prototype measurement setup will be established and tested on various batteries.