Conceptual design framework for laminated structural battery composites

Paper in proceeding, 2020

The structural battery composite is a class of composite materials with ability to provide mechanical integrity in a structural system while simultaneously store electrical energy (i.e. work as a battery). In this paper a framework to estimate the mechanical and electrical performance of laminated structural battery composites is proposed. The mechanical performance of the battery composite laminate is assessed by estimating the in-plane elastic properties of the laminate using Classical Laminate Theory. The electrical performance is assessed estimating the specific capacity and energy density of the component. The developed framework is applied on an A4 sized structural battery composite demonstrator, as part of the Clean Sky 2 project SORCERER [1] to demonstrate the capabilities of the framework. The design process for the demonstrator is presented and mechanical and electrical performance metrics are estimated for three laminate configurations, one promoting structural performance, one promoting electrical performance and one intermediate. As the material provides both load carrying and electrical energy storage capabilities, the laminate configuration can be alternated to provide suitable performance based on the purpose of the component.