In the research of electrode materials for energy storage devices, glove boxes play a key role. These are isolated chambers that provide strictly controlled conditions for working with sensitive materials. They are indispensable in energy storage research because they make it possible to work with materials that can quickly degrade or react when exposed to air or moisture. Thanks to glove boxes, researchers can test new electrode materials, work with materials that react with normal atmosphere (lithium, phosphorus, etc.), assemble battery prototypes and test their characteristics.

Our laboratory has four glove boxes, two of which are manufactured by Plas Labs. These boxes are used for preparative work: one is used to store dry compounds, and the other is used to store organic electrolytes. This separation avoids cross-contamination and provides the best possible storage conditions for sensitive materials.

The other two gloveboxes are equipped with advanced technology. They have built-in oxygen and water sensors, as well as an automatic atmosphere regeneration system that removes traces of oxygen and water through catalysts. Oxygen and water contents are maintained in the boxes <0.01 ppm. An automatic pressure maintenance system prevents the penetration of moisture and oxygen from the external environment. These boxes are designed to work with compounds that are especially sensitive to the air atmosphere and to assemble electrochemical cells of various configurations with organic electrolytes. Thus, the presence of such a variety of glove boxes in our laboratory allows us to conduct a wide range of research in the field of electrochemistry, opening new horizons in the development of energy storage devices.