Abstract
The effects of sustained three-point bend loading and hydrostatic pressure on the mechanical and energy-storage performance of three structure–battery beam prototypes were experimentally investigated. The SB beams, designed for unmanned underwater vehicle applications, were fabricated using marine-grade structural composite constituents and commercial rechargeable lithium-ion “pouch” cells. Low-temperature cure materials and multistep processing were used in fabrication to avoid exposing the cells to temperatures above 60℃. The results showed load relaxation (up to 6–18%) under constant displacement three-point bending within the elastic regime due to viscoelastic shear in adhesive bond layers between components and lamina. Concurrent cell charge–discharge during sustained load bending had a small effect on the load (
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