EIS and Battery Screening

Battery screening is an essential process present at practically every level of the battery value chain from R&D through to second life. At the R&D phase, for example, it is used to select and validate the best battery chemistries. Screening is also used in order to select the right batteries for specific applications as well as being used to validate pilot studies.

The screening process often involves electrical testing on the battery through charge/discharge cycles. During these cycles, different parameters are measured and/or calculated in order to estimate their evolution prior to a later evaluation.

The screening process is organized using a multi-stage selection process that starts with a large number of simple battery tests (for example, capacity, internal resistance vs. cycles) on multiple batteries using low-cost instruments or battery cyclers. Then, once the best batteries have been selected they can undergo more advanced testing (EIS, dQ/dV etc) involving more expensive measurement instruments such as potentiostats.

But what if all these tests could be carried out on the same instrument during the same test? Imagine the efficiencies that could be made in terms of time and money…

Basic measurements and advanced EIS Screening: Bringing it all together…

Electrochemistry Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a fast (the process can take a few minutes), non-intrusive measurement that gives access to a huge amount of battery information.  The use of battery cyclers offering EIS capability can help save time and money by running both standard and advanced measurements such as EIS on the same instrument at the same time. Huge efficiencies, both in technical terms and also workflow, are possible by carrying out multiple tests on the same battery, simultaneously.

Furthermore, even if the data is not used initially, EIS spectra can be studied at a later date allowing additional characterization if needed. From simple to advanced measurements, everything can be carried out on the same cycler, at the same time. This gives users options to carry out advanced analyses, at a later date, without having to carry out a second set of measurements on a more advanced instrument.

Reduced lead time and increased efficiency for battery screening

The BCS-800 series is a modular battery testing system designed to meet the needs of users working at every level of the battery value chain, from R&D to pilot production, from production testing to quality control. Made up of three core products (BCS-805, 810 and 815), these advanced battery cyclers offer 8 independent channels with a maximum current of ±150 mA, ±1.5 A and ±15A, respectively per channel.

An optional built-in FRA (Frequency Response Analyzer) is available for every BCS-800 module enabling Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) experiments over the frequency range of 10 kHz to 10 mHz on each channel in either galvano or potentio mode. EIS measurements are as fast and precise as those obtained with BioLogic’s research-grade equipment.

High accuracy and precision for both control and measurement allow users to perform challenging experiments such as dQ/dV and more.

This high-end specification makes the BCS-800 Series perfect for any measurement type from basic measurements to advanced EIS and makes the instruments especially suited to battery screening. The screening process can, therefore, be faster, easier, cheaper and more efficient.