New technique can monitor batteries' performance loss

LONDON - An international team of researchers has developed a sophisticated 3D imaging technique to track in real time how disposable Lithium batteries degrade during normal use, according to a study released Friday by the University College London (UCL).

The study follows calls from investigators in August 2015 for a safety review of all lithium battery-powered equipment on planes after a fire broke out on board a grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport in 2013.

The UCL-led team used cutting edge X-ray imaging techniques to track different types of wear and tear which cause performance loss and linked this wear to design features of the commercial battery.

The images formed cross-section time-lapse videos showing the damage occurring on the electrodes inside the battery in real time, according to the study.

"Electrical activity was high in some areas of the cell, whereas it was low in others; layers of electrode material separated and cracked. All of these changes in structure affect the flow of electricity and reduce the performance of the cell," said Donal Finegan from UCL, who worked on the study.

This could give a new way to non-invasively monitor performance loss and guide the development of more effective commercial battery designs.

"We effectively mapped the activity and strain on the material inside the battery which will help manufacturers predict how a particular battery will perform during operation and over time. We see this is a valuable tool for optimizing the material used in commercial batteries, which will improve their resilience," Finegan also said.