Custom electrochemical cells are necessary for fundamental in situ characterization experiments and applied transport studies of next-generation batteries. Limited data on the chemical compatibility of nonaqueous battery electrolytes and engineering materials frustrate experimental progress across laboratories. In this work, we evaluate the compatibility of epoxy-based adhesives and 3D printing resins with nonaqueous battery electrolytes. Materials compatibility requires not only mechanical and chemical stability but also the absence of electroactive dissolution products. We show that some adhesives can generate electroactive products that may cause experimental artifacts. The combined findings guide the material selection process for experimental electrochemists and offer a new protocol for future materials compatibility testing to capture previously overlooked effects.

This article presents a simple inexpensive method to measure flow and viscoelastic properties of calcium alginate hydrogels or gel solutions and is particularly suitable for quality control in small laboratory settings. This method can be considered an extension of the Melt Flow Index (MFI) method, which is routinely used in the polymer industry to indirectly determine the molecular weight of polymers. Results of alginate gels at various crosslinking densities obtained with this new test are compared to complex viscosity data obtained from a standard cone and plate rheometer, and demonstrate very good correlation. A mathematical model describing the apparent viscosity of the alginate gels in this test has also been developed.

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