Advancing Safe Battery Design through Experimental Cell Characterization of Thermal, Electrical and Mechanical Properties

2026-01-0408

4/7/2026

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Abstract
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Lithium-ion batteries are critical to Electric Vehicles (EV) and grid-scale energy storage. Safe design of battery systems relies on accurate simulation of thermal runaway under electrical, thermal, and mechanical abuse. A predictive battery simulation requires characterization of electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties at the full cell and cell-component levels. In this study, a commercial cell from an EV was disassembled, and tested to support both homogenized and detailed computational models. At the cell level, electrical properties were characterized using Hybrid Pulse Power Characterization (HPPC) testing to assess the cell’s power capability. Full cell compression tests were conducted to characterize mechanical behavior under deformation and used to develop a multi-physics homogenized cell model. On the other hand, detailed cell modeling that includes different component layers could help users understand localized cell integrity under mechanical deformation. At the component level, cathode and anode electrodes, separator, and cell pouch laminate were tested for their thermal properties, including heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and melting points. This data is essential to modeling heat generation and dissipation in the detailed battery cell model. Mechanical behavior of these component materials was tested to understand structural integrity and failure modes. Electrical conductivity of cell component materials was also characterized. These experimentally measured properties and derived parameters may be integrated into a representative multi-physics battery cell model. By providing detailed characterization of a commercial lithium-ion EV cell, this research provides an experimental framework for developing both macro and detailed cell computational models needed for safety design assessments of EV battery systems.
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Citation
Challa, V., Rostami-Angas, M., kong, K., Wang, L., et al., "Advancing Safe Battery Design through Experimental Cell Characterization of Thermal, Electrical and Mechanical Properties," WCX SAE World Congress Experience, Detroit, Michigan, United States, April 14, 2026, https://doi.org/10.4271/2026-01-0408.
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Published
Apr 07
Product Code
2026-01-0408
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English