In pursuit of its goals, PHOENIX is committed to developing advanced sensors to monitoring the State of Health (SoH) of batteries. This critical data serves as the foundation for activating self-healing mechanisms. The specifications for the applied sensor technology are demanding, including early detection of specific degradation factors like structural changes in electrodes, gas evolution, Lithium plating, delamination, or water contamination. The sensors must also exhibit low energy consumption and compact form factors.

In PHOENIX the following sensor types will be developed and adapted to the specifications of the cells:

1. Enhanced Impedance Spectroscopy: Implementing state-of-the-art technology seamlessly connected to the cell
2. Mechanical Pressure Sensors: These technologies measure volume changes in the range of 1 µm – 100 µm, utilising dielectric elastomer sensors
3. Ultrasonic Sensors: Leveraging Time-of-Flight measurement to detect changes in cell density and Young’s Modulus
4. Temperature Sensors: Employing resistive and optical temperature technologies to identify deviations in the cell’s temperature behavior within the range of 10°C to 80 °C
5. Integration of a Reference Electrode: This addition aims to distinguish between anode and cathode potential during cycling, conducting potentiometric measurements for individual cells
6. Gas Sensors: Utilising Memristors and MOX, these technologies identify the presence of hydrogen, molecular oxygen, and humidity within the cell (1-50 ppm).

Working on sensor technology, PHOENIX is making crucial progress in the effective implementation of self-healing mechanisms, contributing to the longevity and reliability of batteries.

Image credits: Photo by Robin Glauser on Unsplash

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