Recently, a team of Norwegian researchers from SINTEF Manufacturing has discovered a solution to reduce the weight of electric vehicles by using hybrid copper-aluminum conductors , improving their energy range.
The implementation of hybrid copper and aluminum conductors
Electric vehicles seek to distribute the additional weight they receive across their components, which directly affects their range. Copper is a material used to make electrical conductors . It is highly efficient in terms of conductivity, but it has a disadvantage due to its high mass density.
Historically, conductors have been made of copper because the metal has excellent conductivity, malleability, and strength.
Jørgen A. Sørhaug, researcher at SINTEF Manufacturing.
Why copper and aluminum alloy?
Aluminum is emerging as an alternative to copper due to its technical properties. Although its conductivity is not as high as copper ‘s, aluminum has an advantage: it is much lighter , making it an ideal choice for manufacturing electrical conductors in electric vehicles.
Researchers have succeeded in creating hybrid conductors by combining copper and aluminum. This combination takes advantage of the best properties of both metals: copper’s superior conductivity and aluminum’s lightness. Sørhaug and his team at NTNU are using advanced cold welding techniques to join these metals without compromising their electrical properties.
Cold welding , a technical process for joining metals at low temperatures, has proven to be highly effective, as it minimizes the formation of intermetallic crystals that could reduce conductivity.
Furthermore, the development of the HYB ( hybrid metal extrusion and bonding ) technique enables cold welding of copper and aluminum. This process has been perfected by NTNU researchers and offers a more efficient way to create welded connections between the two metals. Cold welding allows for an optimized microstructure , which improves both the electrical conductivity and mechanical strength of hybrid conductors.
The benefits of cold welding
In conventional high-temperature welding, the interaction between copper and aluminum can result in the formation of intermetallic compounds that reduce the material’s conductivity. However, with cold welding, researchers are able to reduce the formation of these compounds, resulting in improved overall performance. Furthermore, cold welding preserves the mechanical properties of both metals, making them stronger and more durable.
On the other hand, companies such as Hydro ASA , Corvus Energy AS , and Professor Grong AS are actively collaborating on this project to explore new applications of hybrid conductors in battery systems and other electric vehicle components. NTNU Physics Professor Randi Holmestad noted that the goal is to create stronger cold-welded connections between copper and aluminum to improve strength and conductivity , which would enable more efficient applications in the automotive industry.
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Source and photo: SINTEF Manufacturing
