Specialists in Electrochemistry & Materials, Energy & Power

Electrochemical dilatometer ECD-3

Test cell for the measurement of electrode strain (thickness change) in aprotic as well as aqueous electrolytes

Watch your electrodes breathing

The ECD-3 is a research grade instrument dedicated to the measurement of charge-induced strain (expansion and shrinkage) of electrodes down to the sub-micrometer range. The ECD-3 is particularly developed for the investigation of Li-ion battery and other insertion-type electrodes. It may be used in organic as well as aqueous electrolyte solutions.

The ECD-3 is the result of more than 10 years experience in this field. The heart of the ECD-3 is an electrochemical cell, which is hermetically tight against ambient atmosphere. The two electrodes inside are separated by a stiff glass frit, which is fixed in position. The upper (working) electrode is sealed through a thin metal membrane, which transmits any charge-induced height change to the sensor/load unit on the top.

A high-resolution displacement transducer detects dimensional changes ranging from 20 nanometers up to 500 micrometers during an experiments, which can take between a few seconds and many days. A simple weight serves to adjust the load on the working electrode. The potential of the working electrode can either be controlled against the counter electrode (cell voltage control) or against an additional reference electrode.