Ionworks

This post marks the end of our “12 Days of Electrochemical Testing” series. We hope you enjoyed it! Happy holidays from all of us at Ionworks 🎄❄️

On the 12th day of Christmas Ionworks simulated for me... cycle aging 🚲 📉 🪫 Cycle ageing is what happens when time takes its toll on your battery, one charge and discharge at a time. Unlike calendar aging, which is caused by the passage of time itself, cycle aging refers to the wear and tear that occurs with repeated usage. Every charge and discharge cycle triggers internal chemical changes—such as lithium plating, active material loss, or the growth of the solid electrolyte interphase—that gradually degrade performance. This degradation manifests as capacity loss, increased internal resistance, and reduced energy efficiency. It’s why your phone battery doesn’t last as long after a couple of years, and why electric vehicles need carefully managed charge/discharge profiles to maintain range over their lifetime. Testing for cycle aging typically involves subjecting a battery to a series of controlled charge and discharge cycles at specific rates and temperatures, sometimes numbering in the hundreds or thousands. These tests are critical for understanding how a battery will perform under realistic operating conditions, from powering EVs on long road trips to keeping consumer electronics charged for everyday use. With Ionworks Studio you no longer need to wait for months to understand how your battery will degrade!

On the 11th day of Christmas Ionworks simulated for me... calendar ageing 🗓️ 📉 🪫 Calendar ageing is the inevitable ticking clock for batteries. Unlike cycle ageing, which is driven by repeated charge and discharge cycles, calendar ageing refers to the natural degradation of a battery’s performance over time—even when it’s not in active use. This process is caused by chemical and physical changes that occur simply due to the passage of time, such as the growth of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Why is calendar ageing so important? Because it affects the shelf life and storage performance of batteries in critical applications, from EVs to consumer electronics and energy storage systems. Even a battery that’s barely used can lose capacity and efficiency due to calendar ageing, which is why understanding and mitigating this phenomenon is essential for long-term reliability. Testing for calendar ageing involves storing cells under controlled conditions (fixed state of charge and temperature) and monitoring their capacity and resistance over time—a process that can take weeks, months, or even years. With Ionworks Studio, however, you can simulate the effects of calendar ageing across a range of conditions in just a few seconds. #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT

On the 10th day of Christmas Ionworks simulated for me... a drive cycle experiment! 🚗 🔋 📊 How does your battery perform in the real world, where loads are anything but constant? That’s the question a drive cycle experiment answers. By mimicking real-life power or current demands—like those experienced during EV acceleration, cruising, and braking—this test reveals how your battery handles dynamic operating conditions. Drive cycle experiments are the key to understanding energy efficiency, thermal behavior, and capacity fade under realistic scenarios. From standardized profiles like WLTP or UDDS to custom cycles tailored to your application, this test evaluates performance across a wide range of speeds, accelerations, and regenerative braking events. But it’s not just about vehicles. These experiments are equally valuable for renewable energy storage, robotics, or any system where fluctuating loads are the norm. #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT

On the 9th day of Christmas, Ionworks simulated for me… a Peak Power Test 💥⚡📈 The Peak Power Test is a crucial assessment for determining the maximum power a battery can deliver in short bursts. By pushing the battery to its performance limits, this test reveals insights into how it handles high-demand conditions—an essential factor for applications requiring rapid energy delivery, especially for consumer electronics where apps can draw large amounts of power in short bursts. Understanding your battery's peak power performance is key for avoiding brown-out at low SOCs and improving your customer's experience. Watch how we make it easy to visualize the peak power performance at different SOCs at durations. Ready to learn more? Book a demo: https://lnkd.in/gzcqhYes #12daysofbatterymodelling #peakpowerperformance

On the 8th day of Christmas, Ionworks simulated for me… a cycle of PITT ⚡▶️⏸️ The Potentiostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (PITT) is a sibling of GITT, applying a series of carefully controlled steps at changing SOCs. The difference is that PITT holds the voltage fixed for each step, monitoring current decay as the system approaches equilibrium. This enables precise analysis of lithium-ion kinetics and diffusion dynamics within electrode materials. The trade-off? Each potential step requires significant equilibrium time, extending overall testing durations—and even more so if you’re testing under varying temperature conditions. Still deciding between PITT and GITT? At Ionworks Studio, we’ve got you covered, ensuring you have the best tools and methodologies at your fingertips. Ready to learn more? Book a demo: https://lnkd.in/gzcqhYes #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT

On the 7th day of Christmas Ionworks simulated for me... EIS! ⚡ 🌊 🔋 Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is essentially a frequency sweep through your battery’s inner workings. By applying a small AC signal across a wide frequency range, EIS uncovers the intricate interplay of processes that shape battery performance. ⬆️ At high frequencies: You’re looking at ohmic resistances—think electrolyte conductivity and current collector behavior. ➡️ In the mid-frequencies: Charge-transfer kinetics and double-layer effects dominate, offering insights into how quickly and efficiently reactions occur at the electrode surface. ⬇️ At low frequencies: Diffusion takes the spotlight, revealing how ions move through electrode materials and influence long-term capacity and stability. What makes EIS truly powerful is its versatility. Whether you’re pinpointing degradation mechanisms, refining material choices, or fine-tuning equivalent circuit models, EIS distills complex electrochemical phenomena into actionable insights. And with Ionworks Studio, you can seamlessly integrate simulations into your EIS workflow. That means faster exploration, deeper understanding, and more confident decisions—all without the lengthy wait. If you want to learn more, book a demo: https://lnkd.in/gzcqhYes #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT

On the 6th day of Christmas, Ionworks simulated for me… Pulse Resistance! 🔋⚡ Curious about how efficiently your battery handles current flow? A Pulse Resistance (DCIR) test gives you the answer by measuring the battery’s internal resistance under real-world conditions. Since internal resistance drives heat generation, efficiency, and performance, it’s vital to understand how it behaves, especially under varying loads. Here’s how it works: we apply a short current pulse to your battery and measure the resulting voltage drop. By repeating this at different states of charge (SOC) and C-rates, we gain a full picture of how internal resistance shifts based on operating conditions. These insights are indispensable for applications like EVs and consumer electronics, where optimizing performance at both high and low SOCs is key. With Ionworks Studio, evaluating your battery’s internal resistance takes just a few clicks! #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT

Lots of new things launching at Ionworks this week! 🚀 Introducing Ionworks Studio: Our latest platform update makes running 🔋 battery simulations in the ☁️ cloud easier than ever. Get ready to streamline your workflows and supercharge your electrochemical testing! 🌐 New Landing Page: We’ve refreshed our home page to put Ionworks Studio’s capabilities front and center. Explore a simplified interface that helps you focus on getting results, faster. 🎄 Don’t Miss Out: Follow our “12 Days of Electrochemical Testing” to discover new experiments you can simulate and visualize in Ionworks Studio. Check it out and let us know what you think!

On the fifth day of Christmas, Ionworks simulated for me… Cyclic Voltammetry! 🔋 🔃 Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) is a powerful yet often under-the-radar electrochemical technique. By sweeping the electrode potential back and forth and measuring the resulting current, CV helps pinpoint exactly where oxidation and reduction reactions take place—and how stable and reversible they really are. This early-stage characterization tool shines when it comes to: • Identifying redox couples 🔍 • Estimating diffusion coefficients ⚖️ • Evaluating surface films like the SEI 🔬 However, CV alone isn’t the whole story. It doesn’t directly predict long-term battery life and should be paired with tests like GITT, rate capability, or EIS to give you a 360° view of your battery’s performance potential. The good news? Ionworks Studio can simulate CV experiments across multiple scan rates—quickly and easily—so you can gain deeper insights without extra lab time. Interested in learning more or seeing a demo? Book a session here: https://lnkd.in/gzcqhYes #12DaysOfElectrochemicalTesting #CyclicVoltammetry #BatteryCharacterization If you want to learn more, book a demo: https://lnkd.in/gzcqhYes #12daysofbatterymodelling #andacycleofGITT