Experimental Investigation of the Impact of I-Shape Coil Width on Multi-Layered Al-Cu Joint Fabricated by Electromagnetic Pulse Welding for Lithium-ion Battery

A pulsed magnetic field forces metals to collide violently and form metallurgical bonding in electromagnetic pulse welding (EMPW). Because of its advantages of fast, high efficiency, and no continuous vibration effect, the EMPW has the potential in welding multi-layered aluminum (A1) tabs to the copper (Cu) busbar for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). To further study the impact of the I-shape coil width on the EMPW for multi-layered dissimilar materials, a comprehensive experimental platform of EMPW was established in this work. The welding experiments of three layers of Al tabs and a single Cu busbar were carried out by changing the cross-section width of the I-shape coil. The effect of the coil width on the multi-layered Al-Cu dissimilar EMPW joint for LIBs was analyzed by macroscopic morphology and tensile testing. The results showed that when the discharge energy was constant and the coil width became narrow, it would not affect the discharging current. The corresponding deformation area width on the surface of the Al sheet also became narrow, the changing range of the collision velocity and collision angle got larger, the joints between the Al tab and Al tab, the Al tab and Cu busbar were easier to obtain, and the joint quality was better. However, the Al sheet would be broken when the coil was too narrow. This work could provide an experimental basis for the design of the coil for the EMPW of the electric vehicle’s LIBs.