Abstract
The electric vehicle (EV) battery systems are complex assemblies of dissimilar materials in which battery cells are connected using several thousand interconnect joints. Every single joint influences the functionality and efficiency of the whole battery system, making the joining process crucial. Laser welding is considered a desirable choice for EV battery manufacturing due to its non-contact nature, high energy density, precise control over the heat input, and ease of automation. However, incompatible thermos-physical properties of dissimilar materials used in battery tabs and interconnectors pose a significant challenge for achieving complete metallurgical bond. Furthermore, the formation of undesirable weld microstructures such as hard and brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) substantially undermines the structural, electrical, and thermal characteristics of battery joints. This paper reviews the fundamental difficulties and latest developments in dissimilar laser welding of steel-copper, steel-aluminum, aluminum-copper, and steel-nickel, some of the potential joint combinations in EV battery pack manufacturing. The weld microstructure and common metallurgical defects, as well as mechanical and electrical properties of joints are discussed. In addition, the effects of laser welding process parameters on the joint properties and the applicability of various interlayers and coatings in laser welding of battery materials are assessed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 107595 |
| Journal | Optics and Laser Technology |
| Volume | 146 |
| Early online date | 18 Oct 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2022 |
Bibliographical note
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Optics and Laser Technology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Optics and Laser Technology, 146, (2022) DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2021.107595© 2021, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
- Aluminium
- Copper
- Electric vehicle battery
- Laser welding
- Nickel
- Steel
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering