The invention relates to a 
nickel-plated 
copper material and a preparation method and application thereof, and belongs to the technical field of battery manufacturing. The 
nickel-plated 
copper material sequentially comprises fine 
copper, a copper-
nickel alloy layer, a dull nickel layer and a high-
weldability nickel layer from inside to outside. The thickness of the copper-
nickel alloy layer ranges from 0.2 
micrometer to 0.6 
micrometer. The thickness of the dull nickel layer ranges from 0.2 
micrometer to 0.6 micrometer. The thickness of the high-
weldability nickel layer ranges from 0.6 micrometer to 2.6 micrometers. The preparation method includes the steps that the activated fine copper serves as a base material; firstly, low current is supplied by a pulse power source to electrically deposit the dull nickel layer; then, 
direct current nickel plating at 
high current density is conducted in an 
electrolyte with high-
weldability nickel plating additives; and after 
electroplating is finished, in combination with annealing treatment and 
dehydrogenation thermal treatment matched with the 
electroplating process, the nickel-plated copper material which is strong in 
coating binding force, resistant to 
corrosion and folding and easy to weld is obtained. When the prepared nickel-plated copper material is used for nickel-plated copper strip 
electrode tabs of large-magnifying-power 
lithium ion batteries, the performance of the 
electrode tabs are far superior to the performance of similar products. The preparation process is simple and controllable, and industrial production is conveniently achieved.