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Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Lab

The sophisticated ICP lab audits the quality of materials supplied by vendor partners. Materials such as lead, sulfuric acid, water and polyethylene/polypropylene components are introduced to the plasma torch, which operates at temperatures equivalent to the sun’s surface (approx. 10,000C). In a few minutes, the composition of the material can be determined and even the smallest impurities—1 part-per-trillions—can be detected.
 

Two types of ICP equipment are used:

  • The optical emission spectrometer measures the intensity of unique wavelengths or colors produced by each element in the plasma.
  • The mass spectrometer measures unique atomic masses associated with each element after they are ionized in the plasma. The ICP/MS also analyzes solid surface impurities by laser ablation, a technique that employs the heat of a high power laser to vaporize the test material for analysis.
Continuously evaluating the properties of raw materials ensures that our batteries are of the highest quality. The ICP lab also develops and tests new components and helps find solutions to engineering challenges. The scanning Electron Microscope is capable of magnifying both wet and dry samples up to several thousand times and is useful for compositional analysis. Applications include material microstructure, surface contamination determination, separator and battery case debris analysis and corrosion product analysis.