Lightweight Materials for Electric Vehicles

Overview

Aluminum alloys, particularly Al-Si-Mg, are key materials for electric vehicles (EVs) due to their strength, light weight, and thermal efficiency. Both industry and research highlight the importance of microstructure control and heat treatment in optimizing strength, elongation, and thermal conductivity. The precipitation behavior during direct aging (T5) heat treatment significantly improves the strength-elongation synergy, enhancing both mechanical properties and formability. Additionally, controlling microstructure also improves thermal conductivity, which is crucial for efficient heat dissipation in EV battery systems and powertrains. By fine-tuning these factors, aluminum alloys can meet the demanding requirements for EV applications, offering a balance of performance, weight reduction, and thermal management.

Representative Publications and Presentations

- Strength-elongation synergy via controlled precipitation hardening in counter pressure cast Al-7Si-0.35Mg casting alloy with T5 treatment.
Saif Haider Kayani†, Tae-Min Koo†, Soo-Bae Kim, Jung-Moo Lee, Kwangjun Euh, Young-Hee Cho
Materials Science and Engineering A 939 (2025) 148503.
DOI

- Effect of as-cast microstructure on precipitation behavior and thermal conductivity of T5-treated Al-7Si-0.35Mg alloy.
Saif Haider Kayani†, Seung-Uk Lee†, Kwangjun Euh, Jung-Moo Lee, Young-Hee Cho
Journal of Alloys and Compounds 976 (2023) 173004.
DOI

- Effect of As-cast microstructure on Precipitation behavior and Thermal conductivity of Al-Si-Mg alloys.
Saif Haider Kayani, Kwangjun Euh, Jung-Moo Lee, Young-Hee Cho
The 75th World Foundry Congress (WFC), 2024.

- The Interplay of Precipitation Hardening and Conductivity in Al-Si-Mg Alloys.
Saif Haider Kayani, Kwangjun Euh, Jung-Moo Lee, Young-Hee Cho
Global Conference on Innovation Materials (GCIM), 2024.

- Effect of initial microstructure on age-hardenability and thermal conductivity of Al-7Si-0.35Mg alloy.
Saif Haider Kayani, Kwangjun Euh, Jung-Moo Lee, Young-Hee Cho
The 11th Pacific Rim International Conference on Advanced Materials and Processing (PRICM11), 2023.

- Impact of Solidification-Induced Pre-Precipitation on the Age-Hardenability and Thermal Conductivity of Al‒7Si‒0.35Mg Alloy.
Saif Haider Kayani, Kwangjun Euh, Jung-Moo Lee, Young-Hee Cho
The 20th International Microscopy Congress (IMC20), 2023.