Rosy Huang and David G. Cahill
US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

This project seeks advances in the basic science of ion transport in liquid and solid materials that underlie the performance of energy storage technologies. We focus on measurements of the heat current associated with ionic current in Li⁺ electrolytes, i.e., the ionic Peltier effect of Li⁺. Our experimental employs a high-sensitivity ac resistance bridge to measure temperature differences with a sensitivity of 10 micro-K. Our long-term goal is to develop the science of the ionic Peltier coefficient to an extent that measurements of the ionic Peltier coefficient will provide a tool for the development of electrolytes that is on par with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and pulsed-field-gradient NMR.