REVERSIBLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND METHOD

摘要

A method of reversibly connecting two substrates includes positioning an electrically conductive adhesive connector including a shape memory polymer (SMP) between the substrates, heating the connector to a temperature higher than the SMP transition temperature, applying a load and cooling the connector below the transition temperature to transform the connector to a conforming shape to form an adhesive bond attaching the substrates and providing an electrical connection therebetween. The method may include disconnecting the connector from the substrates by heating the connector above the SMP transition temperature, which may disrupt the electrical connection between the substrates. The connector may be a battery tab connector configured to connect a battery cell to another battery cell or a terminal. The connector may be releasable from the battery tab such that the battery tab is reusable after removal of the connector. The connector may be multi-layer and generally arcuate in a permanent shape.