Ultra Thin Nickel Mesh for Modern Cells: The Quiet Workhorse Behind Stable Current Collection

In the last two years I’ve heard the same refrain from battery engineers in EV and storage: “we need cleaner current paths and fewer surprises at scale.” That’s exactly where battery mesh comes into play. The Ultra Thin Nickel Mesh from Ansheng (origin: No.346 Xinying East Street, Anping County, Hebei, China) keeps popping up on my site visits. It’s not flashy; actually, that’s the point. Consistency over drama.

What it is and why it matters

Ultra Thin Nickel Mesh serves as a pure-nickel current collector or diffusion layer in cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch formats. Materials include N6/Nickel 200/N4 grades. Weaves: plain or twill. Mesh counts span 1–600 mesh, wire diameters from 0.02–8 mm, widths usually 1–2 m, and roll lengths up to 350 m (30 m standard). It seems simple, but in high-rate charge/discharge, low resistance and uniform porosity make the difference between smooth cycling and hot spots.

Typical Product Specs (real-world use may vary)

Parameter	Spec (≈)	Notes
Material	N6 / Nickel 200 / N4	Purity typically ≥ 99.5%
Mesh count	1–600 mesh	Customized porosity for ionic flow
Wire diameter	0.02–8 mm	Ultra-thin options for compact stacks
Width	1–2 m (custom)	Slit to line width
Length	30 m std; up to 350 m	Long rolls reduce joins
Weave	Plain / Twill	Twill for higher strength

Process flow (how it’s made)

Raw nickel rod → precision drawing → intermediate anneal → weaving (plain/twill) → calendaring/flattening → degreasing → slitting → inspection → packaging. Testing follows ASTM E2016 for wire cloth dimensional checks, resistivity per ASTM B193, and corrosion screening (ASTM B117 salt spray; optional G31 immersion). Service life in cells: ≈5–10 years depending on electrolyte and cycle depth; I’d say lab data rarely tells the whole story, but this is in line with customer feedback.

Where it’s used

• Li-ion and Na-ion current collectors and tabs
• Hydrogen fuel-cell diffusion layers and sensor grids
• Thermal management spacers in EV packs
• High-corrosion cells where nickel beats plated steel

Advantages that keep coming up: low contact resistance, stable passivation, and—surprisingly—clean slit edges, which line engineers love because it means fewer web breaks. Several customers told me their weld splash decreased after switching to battery mesh with twill weave.

Vendor snapshot (what to look for)

Criteria	Ansheng Ultra Thin Nickel Mesh	Generic Vendor A
Nickel grade traceability	Yes (N6/Ni200 certificates)	Sometimes
Mesh tolerance (ASTM E2016)	Tight (QA report provided)	Variable
Max roll length	Up to 350 m	≤ 150 m
Custom weave/width	Yes (1–2 m, special on request)	Limited
Lead time	Around 2–4 weeks	4–8 weeks

Real-world notes and test data

One ESS integrator reported a 3–5% drop in cell DCIR after moving to battery mesh with 200 mesh, twill, and a calendared finish. Lab cards I saw showed sheet resistance ≈ 0.12–0.16 Ω·sq (ASTM B193 method) and no red rust after 96 h ASTM B117. Certification-wise, look for ISO 9001 at minimum; for battery systems, compliance with IEC 62619/UL 1973 in the stack matters, even if the mesh itself is a component.

Customization tips

• High-rate cells: go finer mesh (≥200) with calendaring to boost contact area.
• Corrosive chemistries: specify N6 with documented ICP-OES purity results.
• Automation: order 300+ m rolls to reduce splices; request edge trimming QA.

Citations

1. ASTM E2016 – Standard Specification for Industrial Woven Wire Cloth.
2. ASTM B193 – Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials.
3. ASTM B162/B160 – Nickel 200/201 plate, sheet, strip, rod and bar specifications.
4. IEC 62619 – Secondary lithium cells and batteries for industrial applications (safety).
5. ISO 9001 – Quality management systems (for manufacturing consistency).