Nickel and Aluminum Battery Tab

Nickel (Ni) and aluminium (Al) battery tabs are conductive lead-outs used to electrically connect internal current collectors to the external terminals of pouch (polymer) lithium-ion cells. In typical cell designs, Al tabs are paired with the cathode current collector (Al foil) and Ni-based tabs are commonly used where robust weldability and corrosion resistance are required, including with nickel-plated or copper-coated nickel options for specific joining strategies.

How it works in a pouch cell

During electrode stacking or winding, the current collector foils are gathered and welded to tabs (foil-to-tab weld). The tab then exits the pouch through the seal area, providing a low-resistance pathway for charge transfer to external circuitry and test equipment. Reliable tab geometry and insulation help minimise contact resistance, heat generation, and shorting risk at the seal edge.

Key specifications and options

• Purity: >99.9% metal purity
• Widths (customisable): 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 mm (other sizes available)
• Thicknesses: 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 mm
• PP insulation tape: yellow/black/white; typical tape thickness ~0.10 mm
• Optional: copper-coated nickel tab for specialised welding/joining needs
  
  

Compatibility and applications

• Pouch / polymer Li-ion cell prototyping and pilot-scale manufacturing
• Electrode foil welding (ultrasonic, resistance, or laser—process-dependent)
• Battery testing with potentiostats/galvanostats, battery cyclers, and formation systems (external connection via tab terminal fixtures)

ScienceGears supports researchers across Australia and New Zealand with selection guidance (Ni vs Al vs plated options), tab sizing for your seal design, and integration advice for electrochemical test workflows.