Thermal management of lithium-ion batteries using binary nanoparticle infused phase change materials

Phase change materials (PCMs) are widely recognized for their effectiveness in thermal management systems across various applications; however, their practical deployment is often limited by inherently low thermal conductivity. This study addresses this limitation by developing a novel thermally conductive binary nanoparticle-infused composite PCM (BNICPCM), formulated by incorporating boron nitride (BN), zinc oxide (ZnO), and silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) nanoparticles into paraffin wax (PA). Detailed investigations revealed that the BNICPCMs exhibited enhanced thermal stability and no observable phase separation. Among the tested formulations, BNICPCM-4, containing 1.0 wt% BN and 0.5 wt% ZnO, demonstrated superior performance. In particular, BNICPCM-4 reached a thermal conductivity of 0.52 W/mK, representing a 94% improvement compared to the base PCM. When employed as a cooling medium for a 3200 mAh lithium-ion battery, BNICPCM-4 reduced the peak surface temperatures by 2°C, reaching 43.2°C during charging and 44.7°C during discharging. These values correspond to temperature reductions of 18.64% and 19.31% during charging and discharging, respectively, relative to natural convection cooling. The results indicate that BNICPCM-4 is a promising candidate for enhancing the thermal management efficiency of lithium-ion batteries. This advancement can enhance battery safety, efficiency, and lifespan in demanding environments by maintaining lower and more consistent cell temperatures.