Master Thesis

1.Background


Battery technology worldwide has seen a boom in progress, research, and utility. There is a wide range of chemistries that are applicable to multiple forms of application (mobility, storage, high energy density, etc), all of which contain their own pros and cons. Finding, explaining, and mitigating these can sometimes be quite a challenge, requiring expertise covering a large knowledge base. Within electromobility, large format lithium ion batteries are primarily used and, depending on the desired outcome, can be found in varying geometries, chemistries and setups. Being able to accurately locate and analyse potential degradation mechanisms within them all is a problem and question being asked across the industrial and research landscape. One relatively new, and now common technique is determining degradation mechanisms via highly sensitive gas analysis methods such as Online Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry (OEMS). Here, unwanted side reactions that ultimately reduce a battery’s life are probed. There have been a number of successful publications highlighting important findings using OEMS, some of which quite influential. However, due to the large number of different batteries, and the immense complexity of the battery itself (a closed system experiencing electrochemical, chemical and physical changes) a complete understanding of degradation mechanisms has yet to be found.
Additionally, only studying the volatile species released during a battery’s life does not give the whole picture, and therefore, complimentary techniques such as Electrochemical Quarts Microbalance (EQCM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are also being used. This master’s project will ultimately be a large literature review, where all the reaction mechanism pathways found within large format batteries (those used within electromobility) are mapped out. Additionally, the student will help ongoing work at Uppsala University on the gas analysis of PHEV2 cells using OEMS in order to gain a better understanding of the experimental procedure behind any findings they make.


2. Project Summary


The main focus of this project is to map out as holistically as possible degradation mechanism pathways within current state-of-the-art lithium-ion cells. This will be done primarily through a literature review, aiding a PhD student in gas analysis of PHEV2 cells, and further observations at both Uppsala University and AB Volvo. If all goes as planned, the student should then have enough information to write a review article for publication after their thesis is complete.


3.Place


The experiment will be mainly in Uppsala University, with flexibility remote work about thesis writing.


Suitable background
Battery, Chemistry, Materials, Electro-chemical, Simulation

Description of thesis work


Thesis Level: Master

Language: English


Starting date: Spring 2023


Number of students: 1


Tutor


Ya Liu, Volvo Group Truck Technology, ya.liu@volvo.com
Casimir Misiewicz, Uppsala University, casimir.misiewicz@kemi.uu.se
Zeynab Kolahi, Volvo Group Truck Technology, zeynab.kolahi@consultant.volvo.com
Istaq Ahmed, Volvo Group Truck Technology, istaq.ahmed@volvo.com


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