Toward the performance evolution of lithium-ion battery upon impact loading

Dynamic mechanical loading is a common scenario for electric vehicles or unmanned aerial vehicles while in service. As the primary energy source for many electronic devices, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) may moderately deform without inducing an electrical short or immediate thermal runaway in collision events due to the protection provided by components of the battery module. However, the influence of the internal damage from dynamic loading on the electrochemical performance and residual life of LIBs remains poorly understood. Here we report the mechanical-electrical coupling response and capacity degradation of LiCoO₂ pouch batteries that sustained impact-induced damage. Three typical performance evolutions resulting from changes in the deformation and failure mode were observed at different impact energy levels. Besides, higher impact energy corresponds to a larger instant capacity loss and a higher capacity fading rate. Our study implies an acceptance for future utilization of the batteries that retained tolerable integrity under impact loading.