Packaging Materials

With widespread deployment of Lithium-ion batteries to power numerous applications, there is an obvious requirement of different cell geometries, each supporting its own packaging enclosures.

Three packaging technologies have evolved as the most prevalent in the Lithium-ion battery industry:

• The cylindrical cell
• The prismatic cell
• The pouch cell

The cylindrical cell has an exterior stainless steel can as its package and it is the most common form of Li-ion cell package used today. This cell design is easier to manufacture and with a sealed can exterior has the ability to withstand high internal pressures. The cylindrical cell package is also equipped with a reseal-able vent to release pressure under excessive charge. Typical applications of the cylindrical cells include wireless communications, biomedical instruments, power tools and applications that do not demand ultra-compact size.

With the advent of portable consumer electronics, use of the prismatic cell design has also become widespread. The prismatic cell design supports thinner cell geometries and its rectangular packaging can be custom designed for each application use. Lithium polymer batteries exclusively use prismatic cell packaging. To prevent the enclosure from bulging on internal pressure build up, heavier gauge metal is used for the prismatic container.

Whereas the cylindrical and the prismatic cell designs use expensive metallic enclosures, a heat-sealable multi-layer foil is used in the Li-ion pouch cell design. The electrical contacts in the pouch cell consist of conductive foil tabs that are welded to the electrode and sealed to the pouch material. The pouch cell has the advantage of being lighter, cheaper and can make the most efficient use of the available space. The most suitable application for the pouch cell is the cell phone and portable consumer electronics requiring ultra-thin enclosures.

Targray, working with multiple suppliers globally has developed its battery packaging product portfolio to suit the unique needs of our customers. Working in collaboration with customers and suppliers, custom enclosure dimensions are made available for all three configurations of the packaging geometries - the cylindrical, the prismatic as well as the pouch cell configurations.