Laser Texturing Applications for Batteries

Texturing for bonding

Laser texturing on a battery casing

Laser texturing significantly improves the bond strength compared to mechanical surface preparation techniques. The system’s parameters can be optimized to generate different surface roughness levels and patterns based on each application requirements.

Laser texturing is used to clean and texture surfaces prior to multiple applications. For adhesive bonding applications, laser texturing provides a higher surface roughness, increasing the effective bonding surface area of the joint and its overall strength. The laser process can be configured to meet any surface roughness requirements with high accuracy and repeatability.

This technology is highly precise and can either be fully or semi-automated. It is a great alternative to other surface preparation methods such as chemicals, abrasives, and grit blasting.

  • No abrasive media
  • Lower operative costs
  • Lower maintenance
  • Personalized surface patterns and roughness values
  • Safer
  • Easily automated
  • Repeatable
  • No wear
  • No contaminants
Lap shear strength for laser texturing vs sandblasting Pull-off strength for laser texturing vs sandblasting

Texturing for thermal transfer

Heat diminishes the lifespan of EV batteries. The better it is managed, the longer the battery will last. The performance of the battery’s thermal management system relies on multiple square meters of surface. This allows the battery to transfer heat from cells to cooling loops. These surfaces are usually bonded with adhesives, pastes, potting components, or gap fillers.

Laser texturing can be used to generate a roughness that increases the effective surface area of metal surfaces. This additional contact between the metal and bonded component allows heat to be transferred more effectively from the cells to the cooling components.

Benefits

  • No additional material costs
  • Durable
  • Efficient
  • Infinite abrasion styles and patterns
  • Consistent results
  • Fully automated
  • Ultrafast speed and precise texturing quality

Aging tests on bonded aluminum joints

To put laser texturing to the test, Laserax ran aging tests (cataplasm JNS 30.03.35) on bonded assemblies whose substrates were previously laser treated with LXQ pulsed fiber lasers.

The lap shear strength of multiple samples was then compared before and after aging, and this, for several surface preparation methods. The results show that laser texturing is better than standard treatments, while being much faster and repeatable. It even exhibits a 10% higher strength after aging (y-axis shows the ratio of the strength after/before aging).

Download the technical paper