Lightweight and high-impact-resistant electric vehicle battery enclosure with fiber metal laminate composites
A method is provided for fabricating thermoplastic fiber-reinforced polymer material (FRP) and fiber metal laminate (FML) composites by a resin-infusion process with a liquid thermoplastic poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin, which has a mixed viscosity of 200 cP at room temperature. The curing process may be initiated by benzoyl peroxide in the methyl methacrylate matrix, which follows a radical polymerization process. A high impact resistance lightweight battery enclosure may be formed by a composite of ductile metal (aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, titanium alloy, or steel alloy) with fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP). The fiber material in the FRP can be carbon fiber, glass fiber, basalt fiber, Kevlar fiber, UHMWPE fiber, or any combination thereof.
1 . An impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure comprising:
a housing comprising a multiple-layer fiber-metal laminate including:
at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer formed by vacuum assisted resin injection;
a first oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layer having a thickness from approximately 0.1 mm to 5 mm positioned on a first side of the at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer, wherein the first oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layer has a liquid thermoplastic resin contact angle of approximately 20 degrees;
a second oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layer having a thickness from approximately 0.1 mm to 5 mm positioned on a second side of the at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer, wherein the second oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layer has a liquid thermoplastic resin contact angle of approximately 20 degrees;
an insulating fiber-reinforced polymer composite positioned between the at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer and either the first or second oleophilic surface-roughened metal layer;
a layer of impact-absorbing foam selected from one or more of polyurethane, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or polyethylene;
wherein the housing includes reinforcing ribs;
wherein the multiple-layer fiber-metal laminate has a stiffness-to-weight ratio of at least 30 GPa/(g/cm 3 ); and
a detachable cover positioned over the housing.
2 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the multiple-layer fiber-metal laminate further comprises an adhesive positioned between either the first or second oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layer and at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer.
3 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an interior void and the interior void includes an energy-absorbing or heat-absorbing material positioned therein.
4 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 3 , wherein the interior void includes a heat-absorbing material comprising a phase-change material.
5 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite layer includes a polymer additive selected from one or more of milled carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, metal or non-metal particles, or a microencapsulated phase change material.
6 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second oleophilic electrochemically surface-roughened metal layers are each independently selected from titanium, magnesium, or aluminum, or alloys including titanium, magnesium, or aluminum.
7 . The impact-resistant, lightweight, EMI-shielding electric vehicle battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes lifting lugs.