Measurement of in-plane thermal conductivity and heat capacity of separator in Li-ion cells using a transient DC heating method

The separator is a critical, multi-functional component of a Li-ion cell that plays a key role in performance and safety during energy conversion and storage processes. Heat flow through the separator is important for minimizing cell temperature and avoiding thermal runaway. Despite the critical nature of thermal conduction through the separator, very little research has been reported on understanding and measuring the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the separator. This paper presents first-ever measurements of thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the separator material. These measurements are based on thermal response to an imposed DC heating within a time period during which an assumption of a thermally semi-infinite domain is valid. Experimental data are in excellent agreement with the analytical model. Comparison between the two results in measurement of the in-plane thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the separator. Results indicate very low thermal conductivity of the separator. Measurements at an elevated temperature indicate that thermal conductivity and heat capacity do not change much with increasing temperature. Experimental measurements of previously unavailable thermal properties reported here may facilitate a better fundamental understanding of thermal transport in a Li-ion cell, and enhanced safety due to more accurate thermal prediction. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.