Interlayer-enhanced thermal management in lithium-ion batteries: A review on state-of-the-art modeling approaches

High-performance batteries, particularly Li-ion batteries, have emerged as the key elements of today’s energy systems. In such batteries, rapid charging and discharging can generate localized heat within the cells and trigger thermal runaway, which is extremely unsafe and harmful to the device. Therefore, optimal thermal management is critical for the safe and stable operation of Li-ion batteries under high-power conditions. One of the effective measures for this has proven to be introducing cooling interlayers between adjacent cells, promoting uniform temperature distribution and enhanced stability of the battery. Rigorous modeling and simulation of the thermal performance of batteries equipped with interlayer cooling mechanisms are very complex but critically important. Such models enable the investigation of proposed designs under various scenarios and specifications, while extending results solely through experimental studies is costly and demanding. This article presents a systematic review and assessment of a wide range of analytical and numerical modeling methods used in thermal management and optimization of Li-ion batteries. For this, the main mechanisms of heat production within cells, including Joule heating, heat from electrochemical reactions, entropy changes, and heat transfer processes, are first described. Then, the efficiency of a variety of interlayers in mitigating local hotspots and achieving a uniform temperature distribution are analyzed. The most common challenges of analytical, numerical, and multiscale approaches are evaluated, and the research gaps are highlighted. Finally, future prospects, including optimal layer design, predictive AI-based or data-driven models, and real-time simulations, are discussed. This review distinguishes itself by providing a dedicated modeling-oriented analysis of cell-to-cell interlayers, explicitly linking their material properties and structural roles to thermal behavior and performance at the battery module level.