Robust and innovative thermal management technologies are critical for ensuring the safety, performance, and long-term use of lithium-ion pouch cells (LIPCs), particularly under high-power operations. Conventional battery thermal management systems (BTMS) often struggle to balance thermal regulation efficiency with structural simplicity, necessitating the development of hybrid cooling approaches. This work introduces an advanced hybrid BTMS that integrates liquid cooling with composite phase-change material (CPCM)-based thermal buffering, leveraging a 3D-printed hexagonal structure for optimized heat dissipation. This novel design maximizes contact between the CPCM and liquid cooling pathways while ensuring structural integrity and preventing leakage through a two-step additive manufacturing process. Experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid cooling system significantly reduces peak cell temperatures by up to 35 degrees C compared to standalone cooling methods, effectively mitigating thermal runaway risks and enhancing battery reliability. The incorporation of nanocarbon-enhanced CPCM further improves thermal conductivity, accelerating heat absorption and dissipation. By offering a scalable and lightweight solution, the proposed hybrid BTMS presents a viable pathway for next-generation high-energy-density LIPC applications, such as electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage.
Abstract This article demonstrates the complementary value of combining electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) for materials characterization through two case studies. EBSD provides localized crystallographic information from micron to millimeter-scale areas within a scanning electron microscope, while XRD characterizes larger centimeter-sized regions using a diffractometer, with both techniques capable of revealing texture and phase composition. The first case study examined texture measurements in oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) and non-ODS additively manufactured nickel-based superalloys. The second case study focused on phase identification of desert soil samples serving as lunar analogues for radio frequency property investigations. Together, the studies illustrate how EBSD's site-specific sensitivity and XRD's bulk representativeness create a comprehensive characterization approach where each technique validates and complements the other, ensuring that neither minor phases nor overall composition are overlooked in materials analysis.
Efficient thermal management is critical for ensuring the safety, performance, and durability of lithium ion pouch cells (LIPCs), particularly under high power operating conditions where conventional battery thermal management systems (BTMS) struggle to balance cooling effectiveness, structural simplicity, and weight. Here, we report a lightweight hybrid BTMS that synergistically integrates active liquid cooling with composite phase change material (CPCM) based thermal buffering through a 3D printed hexagonal architecture. The system is fabricated via a two step additive manufacturing process that enables sealed CPCM encapsulation and isolated liquid cooling pathways within a single carbon fiber reinforced nylon module, effectively eliminating leakage risks while allowing precise geometric control. Hexagonally partitioned CPCM cavities maximize the CPCM wall interfacial area and shorten internal conduction paths, accelerating latent heat absorption, while embedded serpentine liquid channels provide continuous convective heat removal and prevent CPCM saturation. A nanocarbon enhanced CPCM is employed to overcome the intrinsic low thermal conductivity of conventional paraffin based materials.
