The Explosive Nature of Tab Burrs in Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion battery fires and explosions in various battery-operated products have raised safety concerns. While external abuse of batteries can cause fires and explosions, most of the reported problems arose from internal battery defects, which are often difficult to detect. One particular and significant defect pertains to burrs on the tab used to connect the anode and cathode layers to the external terminals of the battery. This paper investigates burr-related issues, presents a case wherein a burr most likely caused thermal runaway in a battery and overviews the standard associated with burr control and the application of computed tomography scanning to assess the risks.