Datwyler advances rubber materials technology for EV batteries

Altdorf, Switzerland - Swiss group Datwyler is highlighting its latest progress with the development of thermally conductive materials (TIMs) to enhance the safety and performance of battery electric vehicles (BEVs)

TIMs, in forms such as solid rubber compound, foam, resin or adhesives, help to keep batteries at optimal temperature: conducting heat away from the source to the cooling systems. 

While these materials are widely applied using form-in-place methods, Datwyler has instead been focusing on stand-alone gasket products based on various polymer matrices.

Stand-alone gaskets, it explains, offer better recyclability when a battery pack is disassembled at the end of its lifetime, particularly as form-in-place solutions often firmly glue parts of the battery pack together. 

Moreover, notes Datwyler's 21 July online article, the composition of a rubber compound for a stand-alone gasket can be adjusted to meet specific requirements in BEVs.

The elastomer compound, for example, can be made “lightweight and flexible and [to allow] integration of additional material properties such as electrical conductivity and EMI shielding."

According to Datwyler, a benchmarking study found that, under selected fast-charge conditions, its material showed a decrease in the cell temperature of around 6K when compared to the industrial standard of around 1 W.mK. 

“Such a decrease in temperature gives passengers an additional element of safety and can indirectly create “space” for even faster charging supporting the latest generation of superchargers,” said Datwyler. 

The improvemnt, it added, can also help "to prevent overheating of batteries and creation of dendrites, ensuring optimal long-term performance at high-efficiency levels."

Lightweighting is another aspect of the R&D work, Datwyler claiming that its thermally conductive compounds “show material density below 2g.cm3, and can be as low as half of our closest competitor.”

This translates to a saving of 1.8kg weight in the design selected for the advanced simulation study, according to the Swiss group.