Overview

• The peer-reviewed study appeared September 5 in Joule, led by Yash Samantaray and Alexander Cohen with Daniel Cogswell and Martin Z. Bazant.
• By recording battery acoustics alongside voltage and current, the team correlated specific sound patterns with internal processes inside cells.
• The analysis distinguishes emissions from gas-producing side reactions versus mechanical fracturing, even within noisy operating data.
• Related work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows acoustic signals can flag precursors to thermal runaway before hazardous escalation.
• MIT has funding from Tata Motors to develop an electric-vehicle monitoring system based on this passive, nondestructive approach, with potential uses in grid storage and manufacturing quality control.