Comparative experimental study on combustion characteristics of typical combustible components for lithium-ion battery

In this paper, the cone calorimeter is used to investigate the combustion characteristics of typical combustible components for lithium-ion battery (LIB). The incomplete combustion of solvents, lithium salt, and separator results in the generation of residue. The melting of the separator at the early stage shows a more obvious endothermic reaction than the decomposition of LiPF₆ resulting in smaller peak heat release rate (HRR). The exothermic reaction of separator combustion increases the internal temperature and produces more heat; however, the sustained endothermic reaction of LiPF₆ decomposition leads to the opposite result. Due to the different boiling points, the single solvent has different quasi-steady-state combustion and boiling combustion time nodes. Different sizes of burn pans have little effects on HRR, but it has a significant impact on the mass loss rate (MLR) data. The average MLR ratio of the three solvents is close to that of the burn pan area. These tests could be the reference of more detailed analysis of the combustion mechanism of LIB and practical applications.