PSI – Electrochemistry Laboratory

The Electrochemistry Laboratory (ECL), established 1988, is part of the Energy and Environment Research Division at the Paul Scherrer Institute. PSI’s Electrochemistry Laboratory is Switzerland’s largest Center for Electrochemical Research.

Fundamental research on battery materials and their characterization is pursued at PSI since three decades, resulting in a unique research environment, with a strong focus on operando characterization and mechanistic understanding, building up on this firm basis to develop innovative technology platforms that directly benefit society, with an emphasis on new collaborations and fresh approaches. Two groups have activities in rechargeable batteries at PSI: Battery Electrodes & Cells and Battery Materials & Diagnostics.

PSI has more than 300 channels available for cell testing and advanced electrochemical characterization, as well as a set of advanced post-mortem and operando material-characterization techniques, specifically dedicated to battery materials, electrodes, electrolytes and cells. Number of in-house-developed cells are available for operando measurements using variety of analytical methods.

The battery research at PSI spans from materials design and synthesis to the cell-level characterization of the full range of battery components: active and passive materials, electrodes, separators, liquid and solid electrolytes, and their interphases.