Scientists develop game-changing tech to make EV batteries safer: 'Opens up new possibilities'

For wider adoption of electric vehicles , and even for potential electric aircraft, the scientific community needs to ensure safe, efficient, and reliably long-lasting batteries.

New technology from Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials has enabled an innovative measuring technique that can support these powerful batteries, as Interesting Engineering reported recently. 

The technology relies on impedance spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy allows scientists to study electrical materials by measuring their resistance to current, or impedance, at a variety of frequencies. 

According to Interesting Engineering, the new technology can detect heat early enough to shut down batteries and avoid damage. It can also improve EV charging by optimizing for slower or faster charging based on the length of the charge session. 

Older versions of impedance spectroscopy were only possible while batteries were at rest. With the Fraunhofer Institute's innovation, batteries can now be examined while in use, saving time and offering crucial data about the battery's health and performance, while taking measurements at up to a million times per second . 

Hermann Pleteit, the project's lead, said , "[D]ynamic impedance spectroscopy opens up new possibilities for optimizing battery management, thereby extending the batteries' lifespan. It also paves the way for these batteries to be used in safety-critical applications."

Improved batteries in EVs can help reduce harmful pollution from gas-burning vehicles. Although the EV manufacturing process can be energy-intensive, MIT Climate Portal has reported that EVs are responsible for much less pollution over their lifetimes than traditional vehicles.

Stronger, more reliable, and longer-lasting batteries also help build energy storage capabilities. When combined with renewable energy sources such as wind or solar , better energy storage can ensure a secure grid powered by clean energy. 

Bundling solar energy with battery technology has proven an effective strategy for keeping energy running at home. In Puerto Rico , this combination has helped to take some burden off the grid or to provide power in peak summer heat.

The researchers noted that the enhanced ability to analyze battery health is not restricted to lithium-ion batteries. Other battery types, like sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries, can also benefit from their innovation. 

By analyzing batteries during performance, the team has developed a way to keep batteries healthy for longer, thus reducing electronic waste, saving valuable resources, and cutting manufacturing costs.

The technology has many potential benefits for the transportation sector, allowing for cleaner transportation in the air and on water as well. 

"These kinds of systems could be used in eco-friendly electric aircraft, for example. This market is in its infancy right now. And the shipping industry is also signaling interest in the technology," Pleteit said in a press release .

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