Ty Zurcher
Mechanical engineering
Hometown: Queen Creek, AZ, US
Graduation date: Spring 2028
FURI | Fall 2026, Needs Review
Passive Air-Free Transfer Vessel for High-Angle SEM Characterization
Solid-state lithium batteries rely on air-sensitive materials that are prone to rapid oxidation or deterioration upon exposure to air. Studying solid state battery samples requires transferring these samples from an inert atmosphere glovebox to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for secondary electron (SE) imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Existing commercial transfer modules cost between $1500 and $10,000, rely on complex, space-consuming electronics, and are unable to reach the high tilt angles (~70°) required for EBSD. To overcome these challenges, this project focuses on designing and fabricating a cost-effective, passive, pressure-based transfer vessel small enough (<50 mm^3) to operate within these SEM chambers. By modifying an existing Gen 1 vessel to remove one side of the sealing chamber, the design should allow for the microscope to have a direct line of sight to the sample even at the high tilt angles. The vessel will be sealed in a low-pressure glovebox and kept sealed by the atmospheric pressure outside the glovebox and an O-ring. Once placed in the chamber, the low pressure in the microscope will automatically relieve the seal, allowing a spring to open the lid providing line of sight to the sample. The sample will be tested through a 45-minute drive between campuses and tested in an SEM chamber at high tilt angles. If this proves successful, this vessel can provide an accessible, low-cost solution for research labs throughout ASU analyzing air-sensitive materials for batteries, solar cells, and semiconductors.
Mentor: Xin Xu
It’s hip to be square.
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