Thermal Conductive Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

As part of the development of energy, battery storage systems have emerged recently; however, large-scale applications of lithium-ion batteries have shown problems with heat management and safety. A high-thermal-conductivity material is added to the cooling system of the battery to extend the service life of the equipment and ensure stable, safe operation. This paper compiles available data and analyses the reasons for heat generation in lithium-ion batteries. It compares and contrasts the features of the three kinds of thermal management materials: metal-based, carbon-based and phase-change materials. Metal-based materials have good thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength, but they are relatively heavy; carbon-based materials are light and corrosion-resistant, but their thermal conductivity is anisotropic; phase-change materials absorb heat through latent heat and have the advantage of temperature regulation, but their continuous heat dissipation capacity is limited. The article introduces the current technical bottlenecks of all kinds of materials, forecasts the future development direction of thermal management materials, and concludes that future materials will be customised to some extent. This paper review and analyse battery thermal management materials to provide a basic reference for selecting materials in battery thermal management technology, promote the development of energy storage technology, and support the transition to a low-carbon energy system.