As the pace of electric vehicle (EV) accelerates, OEMs and EV battery manufacturers are striving to develop more efficient ways to build batteries at scale. At the same time, fire protection remains critical to ensure vehicle batteries are safe. Henkel has therefore launched Loctite EA 9400 and Loctite FPC 5060 protective coating solutions for EV battery safety.
Loctite EA 9400 is a two component active flame retardant, epoxy-based fire protective coating designed for the battery pack housing. With minimising weight of EVs and batteries a high priority, the product has been designed to be applied in a thin layer that doesn’t add much weight to the battery. Thanks to its foaming characteristics and tough formulation for outstanding environmental resistance, Loctite EA 9400 can be applied on both the inside and outside of the battery pack housing to provide excellent versatility. As well as providing lightweight thermal protection, it also prevents battery box corrosion.
Also created for the battery pack housing, Loctite FPC 5060 is a one component, water based, inorganic material that does not form any smoke or fumes when exposed to flame. Its unique, inorganic formulation does not include any hazardous chemicals and produces no smoke, no fumes, and no carbon during a fire – thereby further protecting passengers.
Designed to shield the battery housings against heat and fire in the case of a thermal runaway event, Loctite EA 9400 and Loctite FPC 5060, help to inhibit and delay the spread of fires to protect the passengers as they evacuate the vehicle. Meanwhile, their efficient and cost-effective application processes ensure that manufacturers can continue to optimise battery production without compromising on safety.
“Battery safety is an increasingly important topic for OEMs and battery manufacturers alike,” explains Stephan Hoefer, market strategy head for eMobility at Henkel. “Thermal runaway events are possible in any lithium-ion battery, but the key is to minimise the risks and consequences. At Henkel, we are seeking to minimise the impact of such events through effective and practical solutions that can delay the spread of fire. This is vital to ensure that passengers have sufficient time to evacuate the vehicle.”
Whether due to mechanical, thermal, or electrical incidents – thermal runaway events can occur when a battery cell enters into a heating state and ignites a fire that spreads to neighbouring cells. Battery safety solutions help to reduce or slow such events, thereby increasing time for vehicle evacuation. This time window is increasingly subject to regulation - China has already enacted regulations that specify a required time window and other markets are expected to follow suit in due course as regulatory frameworks for EV safety evolve.
Designed for automated mass production, Loctite EA 9400 and Loctite FPC 5060 can be applied either by ‘spray’ or ‘flat stream’ and both are compatible with common automated dispensing systems. In-line with Henkel’s commitment to sustainability, Loctite 9400 and Loctite FPC 5060 both cure at room temperature, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption and emissions.
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