Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation (CIBI)
In 2024, the University of South Carolina - with funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, support from the SC Department of Commerce and SC Nexus, and approval by the SC Commission for Higher Education formed the CIBI. This institute is advancing battery education, research, and manufacturing through training and innovating on the nanoscale, grid-scale, and everything in between. Prof. Mustain is its inaugural director, leading our faculty and students in a number of areas, with a brief description of each and and a link for more information below.
Manufacturing
CIBI is building new space to house three pilot manufacturing lines - pouch, cylindrical and prismatic. The pouch and cylindrical lines will support industry - with companies having the ability to use the lines to demonstrate and test now innovations - as well as applied research collaborations. To the right is a rendering of what Phase I will look like (completion in 2026). Phase II, a much larger space and new building, will come by 2029.
Education
We are at a university, and it is our fundamental goal to serve the educational needs of our state. The growing battery ecosystem in SC and the Southeast demands new scientists, engineers, technicians, etc. We are building new minors for Undergraduate students and a new Graduate certificate in Battery Science and Engineering. We are also working with Siemens, the SC Department of Commerce and the SC Technical College System to develop new AR/VR modules for training. To the left is Prof. Mustain, with Francisco De Diego Brito from Siemens, trying out some existing tools.
Research
The University of South Carolina has been working on batteries in a variety of ways in the 1980's. The team has grown to nearly 100 researchers on campus - faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, postdoc and staff scientists. Our core areas of strength are: Materials and Chemistry, Cell Performance and Degradation, Simulation, Safety, Recycling, and Electronics and Integration.
Community Engagement
Prof. Mustain and others at USC are leveraging the CIBI platform to reach out to stakeholders from State and Federal agencies, Industry, Conferences and Tradeshows, other Academic institutions, etc. USC and CIBI are passionate about helping our local community, our state, region and nation to benefit from battery technologies to the greatest extent possible.
CONTACT US
Professor William E. Mustain
Department of Chemical Engineering
Swearingen Engineering Center
University of South Carolina
301 Main St.
Columbia, SC 29208
803-576-6393