The research aims to overcome the fundamental chemical and mechanical instabilities that have impeded the development of batteries for vehicles with acceptable range, acceleration, costs, lifetime, and safety. Its aim is to identify and better understand cell performance and lifetime limitations. These batteries have many other applications, in mobile electronic devices, for example.

The work addresses synthesis of components into battery cells with determination of failure modes, materials synthesis and evaluation, advanced diagnostics, and improved electrochemical model development. This research involves:

• Battery development and analysis;
• Mathematical modeling;
• Sophisticated diagnostics;
• Novel materials synthesis for cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes.

The goal of fuel cell research is to provide the technologies for the successful commercialization of polymer-electrolyte and solid oxide fuel cells for automotive and stationary applications. Research capabilities include:

• Catalysis, to optimize the transport of charged species to the catalysis site;
• Polymers, which need to function at high operating temperatures of PE fuel cells;
• Modeling, to improve polymer-electrolyte fuel cell design;
• Diagnostics, using electrochemical, spectroscopic and microscopic methods.