I. Standards
What to look for in standards.
Standard details: GB/T 5585.2 — National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (Copper, aluminum, and their alloy busbars for electrical purposes – Part 2: Aluminum and aluminum alloy busbars GB/T 5585.2-2018; release date: 2018-12-28; implementation date: 2019-07-01; last review date: 2025-05-30 [remains valid]; supersedes GB/T 5585.2-2005); Consolidation — National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (Consolidated standard for copper, aluminum, and their alloy busbars for electrical purposes – Part 1: General requirements, Part 2: Copper busbars, Part 3: Aluminum busbars; supersedes GB 5585.2-1985 and GB 5585.3-1985); K11 — Standardization Administration of China (GB/T 5585.2-2018 Chinese standard title: Copper, aluminum, and their alloy busbars for electrical purposes – Part 2: Aluminum and aluminum alloy busbars; status: current; CCS classification code: K11); Battery casing — National Public Service Platform for Standards Information (Aluminum and aluminum alloy sheet and strip for new energy power battery casings and covers GB/T 33824-2025; release date: 2025-08-01; implementation date: 2026-02-01; status: current; applicable to fields such as electric vehicles, electric bicycles, power energy storage, and communication energy storage); 5585.1 — Docin.com (Based on GB/T
5585.1-2018 (Specifications for copper, aluminum, and their alloy busbars for electrical purposes; the electrical conductivity of pure aluminum shall be no less than 61% IACS—International Annealed Copper Standard); 5585.2-2005 (Part 2: Aluminum and aluminum alloy busbars; the aluminum content in the chemical composition of aluminum and aluminum alloy busbars shall be no less than 99.50%, equivalent to the chemical composition of aluminum ingot grade Al99.50 in GB/T 1196)—Standard Checkpoint 6: GB/T 5585.2, integration, K11, battery casing, 5585.1, 5585.2-2005; ensuring compliance with the six standard checkpoints.
II.
Grades
What to look for regarding grades.
Regarding alloy designations, here is what to look for: 1060 (1000-series alloys like 1060 and 1070, or 6000-series like 6061 and 6063, are commonly used for aluminum busbars; mainstream industrial products primarily feature 1070-O annealed and 6063-T5 air-cooled/strengthened tempers); 1070 (Grade 1070 has an aluminum content of at least 99.7% and offers excellent electrical conductivity, measured in IACS); 1A85 (Common grades for conductive aluminum busbars include pure aluminum grades like 1060, 1070, and 1A85, as well as alloys like 3A21 and 5052; products of different grades vary in terms of electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance); 6063 (6063 Al-Mg-Si heat-treatable aluminum alloy; electrical conductivity of 30%–50% IACS, compliant with GB/T 3190-2022; rated voltage ≤660V AC); 6101 (6101 T61/T63 offers higher strength combined with good conductivity, popular for extruded busbars); 1050 (Grade 1050 in O/H24 temper; conductivity ≥61.0% IACS; tensile strength 70–110 MPa; suitable for general-purpose conductive busbars requiring bending and forming)—Six key grades to consider: 1060, 1070, 1A85, 6063, 6101, and 1050.
III.
Electrical Conductivity
What to look for regarding electrical conductivity.
Regarding electrical conductivity, here are six perspectives: 61% (Shilv.com: National Standard 1060 pure aluminum busbars have conductivity ≥61% IACS—based on the annealed copper standard—meeting power industry low-loss requirements; non-standard busbars often fall below 50% IACS due to low aluminum content and high impurity levels); 61.0 (Shihuan Standard Network: LMR/LHMR types have DC resistivity ≤0.028264 and conductivity ≥61.0; LMY/LHMY types have ≤0.0290 and ≥59.5); 62% (CNC Machining Factory: Conductivity of 1060 pure aluminum sheet is approx. 62% IACS; this 99.6% minimum purity alloy is a preferred material for electrical busbars and transformer windings); 61.5 (Mingtai Aluminum: Grade 1060, temper O/H24, conductivity ≥61.5, tensile strength 70–110; suitable for high-conductivity applications); 62% (Gnee Steel: 1060 aluminum conductivity is 60% IACS or above, typically around 61%; 1070 is typically around 62% IACS); 58% (Docin.com: Aluminum-magnesium alloys typically show reduced conductivity due to the solid-solution strengthening effect of magnesium; however, through micro-alloying and precision extrusion processes, the conductivity of high-end Al-Mg alloy busbars on the market can now be stably controlled at 58%). Summary of the six conductivity figures: 61%, 61.0, 62%, 61.5, 62%, and 58%—a comprehensive overview of conductivity specifications.
IV.
Manufacturing Process
What to look for regarding the manufacturing process.
Regarding process practices, consider the following six aspects: AL1060 (Material requirements: Battery aluminum busbars typically utilize AL1060 aluminum foil with a thickness of 0.1 mm, formed via lamination welding or ultrasonic welding); Dimensions (Requirements for flatness and appearance: the part must be flat without warping; edges must be smooth to the touch after punching/cutting, free of burrs or deformation caused by the cutting process; unspecified tolerances adhere to the GB/T 1804 standard); Testing (Conductivity, temperature rise, bending, and salt spray tests—e.g., ASTM B117; Standards: ASTM B221, IEC 61558, GB/T 5585.1-2018); Dimensions (6063 aluminum busbar common dimensions: thickness ranging from 3 mm to 50 mm); Inspection (Standardized operating procedures for testing methods covering chemical composition analysis, mechanical property testing, electrical performance measurement, and dimensional inspection); Welding (Good weldability; pure aluminum’s electrical conductivity is second only to copper; in the power electronics industry—such as for capacitor busbars and heat sinks—1060 aluminum sheet is the preferred material to replace copper and reduce costs). In summary, the process is fully addressed by considering these six factors: AL1060, dimensions, testing, dimensions, inspection, and welding.
V.
Selection
What to look for when making a selection.
When selecting materials, consider these six aspects: Standard (For most EV busbar applications, 1060 aluminum is the standard choice, offering ≥61% IACS conductivity, excellent formability, and good corrosion resistance at a competitive price); 1070 (For high-performance models where maximum conductivity is critical, 1070—with ≥62% IACS—is the premium upgrade; for busbars requiring higher mechanical strength, consider the 300 series); Energy Storage (Aluminum busbars for lithium battery energy storage tailored to your specifications; made from high-grade electrolytic aluminum alloys—1060, 1050, 6061, or 6063 optional; combining excellent electrical conductivity, superior heat dissipation, and lightweight properties); Outdoor (Inherent corrosion resistance makes 1060 aluminum suitable for harsh environments and outdoor applications; Electrical Conductivity: 61% IACS; Thermal Conductivity: 234 W/m·K); Annealed (1050/1350 O/H12/H14: High conductivity, widely used in electrical busbars; 1060 O/H14: Balanced conductivity and formability; 6063 T5/T6: Excellent extrusion quality, decent conductivity); Copper Replacement (1060 aluminum sheet is the preferred material for replacing copper to reduce costs; especially suitable for outdoor or chemical environments). By carefully evaluating these six factors—Standard, 1070, Energy Storage, Outdoor, Annealed, and Copper Replacement—you can make the right choice.
Conclusion
How should you select the material standard for energy storage aluminum busbars?
The conclusion is to evaluate five key aspects: the standard itself, the alloy grade, electrical conductivity, the manufacturing process, and the specific application requirements.
Standards—National Standard Information Public Service Platform (GB/T 5585.2-2018 Aluminum and aluminum alloy busbars—remains valid); National Standard Information Public Service Platform (consolidates the three-part standard from 1985); Standardization Administration of China (GB/T 5585.2-2018 current status: CCS K11); National Standard Information Public Service Platform (GB/T 33824-2025 Aluminum sheet and strip for new energy power battery casings and covers); Docin.com (GB/T 5585.1-2018 pure aluminum conductivity ≥61% IACS); Shihuan Standard Network (GB/T 5585.2—2005 aluminum content ≥99.50%); Alloy Grades—Docin.com (1000 series: 1060, 1070; 6000 series: 6061, 6063; mainstream grades: 1070-O and 6063-T5); Docin.com (1070 aluminum content ≥99.7%); Docin.com (Pure aluminum grades: 1060, 1070, 1A85; Aluminum alloy grades: 3A21, 5052); fenghuabusway (6063 Al-Mg-Si, conductivity 30%–50% IACS, ≤660V AC); Haomei (6101 T61/T63, high strength and good conductivity); Mingtai Aluminum (1050, conductivity ≥61.0, general-purpose conductive busbar); Conductivity—Shilv.com (National Standard 1060 pure aluminum busbar conductivity ≥61%).
IACS non-standard <50% (Shilv.com); LMR ≥61.0, LMY ≥59.5 (Shihuan Standard Network); CNC Machining Factory (1060 pure aluminum conductivity ~62% IACS); Mingtai Aluminum (1060 conductivity ≥61.5 for high-conductivity applications); Gnee Steel (1060 ~61% IACS, 1070 ~62% IACS); Docin.com (high-end, stable Al-Mg alloy at 58% IACS); Process—China Western Development Promotion Association (AL1060 aluminum foil for battery busbars, 0.1mm, laminated welding or ultrasonic welding).
