Agilent Presents Solutions Innovation Research Awards to Aarhus University, University of Graz, and Imperial College London Scientists

Professors Anders Bentien, Walter Gössler, and Gregory Offer are recognized for their work in battery research

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced Solutions Innovation Research Awards (SIRA) have been presented to Professor Anders Bentien of Aarhus University, Professor Walter Gössler of University of Graz, and Professor Gregory Offer of Imperial College London. These separate awards recognize their outstanding contributions to battery research.

Developing new materials for more efficient and durable batteries is essential to reducing fossil fuel reliance and meeting global energy storage needs. Given the limited supply of critical metals like lithium, it is crucial to focus on pioneering new materials and recovering and reusing existing metals. This dual approach sustains current battery production and minimizes environmental impact, supporting a more sustainable future.

Professor Anders Bentien at Aarhus University focuses on battery research using atomic spectroscopy measurement technologies. As part of his award, Professor Bentien will receive a one-year loan of an Agilent 5900 ICP-OES to support his projects. He envisions this system as crucial for the kinetic and thermodynamic description of the flow battery systems he is working on. Upon receiving the award, Professor Bentien remarked, “We are very happy to have the possibility to utilize the ICP-OES instrument and see its capabilities.”

Professor Walter Gössler’s research at the University of Graz is dedicated to transforming lithium-ion battery recycling. His project focuses on enhancing recycling efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and ensuring sustainability of lithium-ion battery recycling. As part of his initiative, Professor Gössler will receive a one-year loan of an Agilent 8900 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS (ICP-QQQ), which will be instrumental in achieving these goals.

Discussing the award, Professor Gössler said, “The University of Graz is honored to receive the Agilent ICP-MS 8900 QQQ instrument through the Solutions Innovation Research Award. This support enables us to enhance our recycling processes and push the boundaries of innovation in battery recycling. We are excited to leverage this technology to drive our sustainable solutions forward.”

Professor Gregory Offer at Imperial College London is advancing battery research using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technologies. His work addresses gas generation and battery volume swelling, key issues in lithium-ion battery performance degradation. While most studies focus on fresh cells, Professor Offer emphasizes the importance of understanding degradation in end-of-life cells. He will receive a one-year loan of an Agilent 5977C GC/MSD to support his research.

Speaking about the award Professor Offer stated, “Dr. Jingwen Weng, my postdoctoral fellow, and I are very excited to accept the Agilent SIRA award and receive the GC/MS for a year. We intend to use the equipment to study lithium-ion batteries in order to improve our understanding of their formation, degradation during use, and failure. Analyzing the gases produced at different stages of life will give us critical information about the chemical reactions that happen inside the batteries, and help us to parameterize and validate our physics-based models. These models can then be used by industry to design safer, cheaper, and longer-lasting battery packs.”

Commenting on the importance of these awards Nahid Chalyavi, associate vice president of University Relations and External Research at Agilent said, “At Agilent, we are proud to support researchers who are addressing some of the most pressing challenges in energy storage and battery technology. The work of Professors Bentien, Gössler, and Offer represents the kind of innovative, forward-thinking research that drives meaningful progress toward a more sustainable future. By equipping them with cutting-edge analytical tools, we aim to empower their efforts to unlock new insights, improve battery efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. The outcomes of their research have the potential to not only advance scientific understanding but also deliver practical solutions that can be adopted by industry to create safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting energy storage systems.”

Agilent is committed to driving research growth in battery, fuel cell, and semiconductor technologies within the advanced materials and energy markets. Established in 2023, the Agilent SIRA program, part of the Agilent University Relations, inspires innovative and impactful applications of Agilent products to help solve pressing scientific problems in academia. By providing state-of-the-art products and technical expertise, Agilent supports university researchers across diverse fields of study. For more information about the program, visit Solutions Innovation Research Award (SIRA) at Agilent.

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