Nail Penetration Adapter for Li-Ion Battery Testing

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have designed a pneumatic nail penetration trigger system that drives a Li-ion battery cell into thermal runaway using a tungsten nail. By creating a targeted rupture in a battery cell’s outer casing, researchers can initiate an exothermic chain reaction within the battery, much like a short circuit, causing a spike in temperature that can lead to battery failure, fire or explosion.