NASA has named a groundbreaking battery safety innovation developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) and KULR Technology Group as its 2025 Invention of the Year. The award-winning Internal Short Circuit Device (ISC-D) enables engineers to simulate manufacturing defects by creating controlled internal short circuits within lithium-ion battery cells. This allows researchers to evaluate battery resistance to thermal runaway and cascading failures in spacecraft and other mission-critical systems. Unlike traditional safety tests that rely on external abuse, the ISC-D accurately replicates microscopic internal defects, making it a standard battery safety testing tool for more than 80 organizations across the automotive and aerospace industries.
One of the greatest hazards in battery systems is thermal runaway, where excessive heat generated in one cell spreads to neighboring cells, triggering a chain reaction. Conventional battery safety tests typically involve crushing, puncturing, or overheating battery cells, but these methods fail to accurately reproduce the microscopic manufacturing defects responsible for many real-world failures. The ISC-D addresses this challenge by placing a specially designed metal disk insulated with wax between the battery’s anode and cathode. When the temperature reaches approximately 57°C, the wax melts, allowing the metal disk to create a controlled and repeatable internal short circuit. This enables engineers to observe battery failure mechanisms under realistic conditions.
The collaboration between NASA and the National Laboratory of the Rockies began in 2010 with the goal of developing a reliable method for triggering controlled internal short circuits. A major breakthrough came with the development of a unique blend of paraffin and microcrystalline wax that remained flexible during battery assembly while preventing accidental activation. The technology later received the prestigious R&D 100 Award before being licensed to KULR Technology Group, which integrated the ISC-D directly into battery cells, enabling comprehensive system-level safety testing under controlled conditions.
Today, the technology plays a critical role in improving the safety of energy storage systems used in electric vehicles, commercial aircraft, satellites, and space missions. The collaboration between NLR and KULR demonstrates the importance of cross-industry partnerships in solving complex engineering challenges. As battery technologies continue to evolve, the ability to accurately predict, replicate, and isolate internal failures will remain essential for developing reliable energy storage systems capable of operating safely in the world’s most demanding environments.
Source: Solarbaba – In Turkish
