In the face of global climate change, our energy economy has begun a paradigmshift away from carbon generating sources toward renewable generation technologies such as wind and solar. This shift has illuminated a great need for energy storage mechanisms that can replace fossil fuels in both point source applications such as automobiles, and for grid scale storage applications to smooth the sporadic generation of wind and solar electricity. Lithium batteries are promising energy storage devices, but concerns over scarcity of lithium and ancillary battery components [1] – particularly when viewed against the backdrop of our vast energy economy – have highlighted our need for alternative battery technologies. Aluminum is a promising candidate. It poses the highest volumetric power density: 8040mAh/cm3 compared with lithium’s 2046mAh/cm3, which can be attributed to its trivalent oxidation state that can deliver three electrons per redox couple [2]. However, aluminum batteries have suffered from low capacities, poor cell cycleability, and expensive electrolytes which stem from both the robust oxide that forms on the surface of the anode as well as the extremely high charge density of Al3+ ions limiting intercalation. In this thesis, I use scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to investigate intercalation of Al3+ ions in VO2 epitaxially grown on TiO2 for battery applications. This novel approach of investigating intercalated epitaxially grown films with STEM-EELS and STEM-EDS provides information on intercalation dynamics at the nanoscale. Using these techniques, I have shown that intercalation of both Al3+ and chloroaluminate ions – AlCl4- or Al2Cl7- – is possible in VO2 . I have shown that the selection of intercalated ion is dependent on the strain state of the epitaxial film, with preference for chloroaluminate intercalation into high strain regions, and Al3+ ion intercalation under the native epitaxial strain state. Through literature review I have shown that the VO2 /TiO2 system allows for good control over both the crystalline phase and strain state of VO2 films by varying the orientation of the TiO2 substrate, provided the film thickness remains under the critical thickness. This control can enable further study of intercalation dynamics in VO2 as they relate to crystalline phase, orientation, and film strain.