Augment your battery research with non-ambient in-operando XRD

Can you name three materials currently being researched that have the potential to revolutionize battery technology? How about four? If that question was too easy for you, our upcoming PlugVolt webinar on non-ambient XRD analysis will be right up your street.

There’s never been a more exciting time to be in battery research – that much is clear. Traditional applications are sharing the limelight with new possibilities, from sustainable energy storage to electric transportation. In all applications, traditional and new, innovation has the power to reshape the entire field. But in times of rapid innovation, it can be hard to plan for the future. When the possibilities seem endless, the only thing you know for certain is that you’ll need reliable, precise data to guide you.

Why in-operando XRD?

Every researcher knows that even the most exciting initial results can end up as ‘learning experiences’ when later tests don’t turn out the way you hoped. Annoying? Certainly – but it’s all part of the process, and when working with technology that keeps the world working, like batteries, it’s vital to ensure the safety of your materials. Even the smallest inconsistency might be critical later on.

This is where X-ray diffractometers (XRD) analysis comes in, giving you a non-destructive way to see what’s going on inside your sample. In-operando tests are very useful to be able to watch as your product actually functions, to make sure that everything is going to plan. However, this only tells you how your sample works in normal conditions inside an XRD instrument! What happens if the battery is used in unusual conditions, such as extreme temperatures? How will the components hold up? Will it still be safe to use?

Completing the picture: A non-ambient solution

To answer these questions, non-ambient in-operando tests are key. They can give you reliable answers, and allow you to test your materials in a variety of conditions for a full overview of their safety and reliability. 

We’ve created two new specialized battery research stages for our popular Empyrean XRD platform, allowing for these non-ambient in-operando measurements. With heating and cooling features allowing temperature ranges between -10°C and 70°C, results are comprehensive and the vast majority of use-cases can be tested. 

The first new addition is VTEC, an electrochemical cell including a beryllium window for reflection studies. The second is VTEC-trans, which provides a pouch cell stage for transmission studies. Both are available for the current Empyrean system and work with HighScore Plus, our XRD analysis package with fully automated batch analysis, plus powerful data visualization tools specifically made for in-operando experiments.

Learn more with us

So now for the fun part – how to use them! If you’d like to know the best way to set up your non-ambient experiments, or how to get started with this new upgrade for your Empyrean instrument, join us at our webinar on 17th August 2022.

Our expert speaker, Zhaohui Bao, will be sharing all the tips and tricks you need to know to maximize your measurements and interpret your results. We’ll also be talking about why non-ambient XRD matters, some finer details of how the system works and much more.

So register now and come along on 17th August 2022 to hear how you can get the most out of your XRD analysis!

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