FURI | Spring 2019

Development of a Low Temperature Ionic Liquid Based Electrolyte System for Planetary Exploration

This research project aims to develop an electrolyte that functions in the extreme environmental conditions of Europa so that a molecular electronic transducer (MET) seismometer can be used to probe the interior structure of this Jupiter moon. The research team investigates mixtures of ionic liquids and nitrile-based molecular co-solvents to formulate electrolyte solutions at various compositions that possess desirable thermal and transport behaviors at low temperatures to support sensing operations. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) will be utilized to study phase transitions and the ionic conductivity of the electrolytes, respectively.