New energy vehicles are developing rapidly in China. As electric vehicle manufacturers introduce more powerful, faster-charging, and longer-life batteries, battery heating issues and the risk of fire will become more prominent. The importance of safety has prompted Chinese regulators to expedite the issuance of standards to meet thermal protection and fire protection needs. When a global car manufacturer sought Freudenberg to develop a new material for its electric vehicle battery housing to meet China's stringent flammability standards, Freudenberg's sealing experts knew the starting point for research and development: Freudenberg A series of heat-resistant materials developed by the company for the aerospace industry.
Freudenberg has studied the ignition or combustion characteristics of materials in the aerospace industry for many years. Freudenberg's Sealing Technology Group possesses mature technologies that can prevent the spread of fire and provide thermal protection in extreme operating environments. Through the successful transfer of technology between different industries, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies' scientists and engineers in North America have developed a new silicon-based material for the automotive industry that meets international flammability standards. This standard requires that materials extinguish fires immediately after exposure to flames. “We leverage our existing aerospace product portfolio and technical expertise to significantly shorten our customers’ product development cycles, ”said Todd Blair, business development manager at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies.“ With the new electric vehicle safety With the promulgation of regulations, the industry will focus on developing materials that meet the flammability, thermal protection and fire protection requirements of components other than batteries in electric vehicles. We hope to provide customers with various solutions to help them meet current and future performance and safety standards . "
To this end, Freudenberg's materials experts have set out to develop more advanced fire-resistant materials. Such materials are now in the field testing phase, not only controlling the fire when exposed to flames, but also protecting the battery and surrounding components at temperatures in excess of 1000 ° C. The formulation of this new material has been specifically developed to meet the most stringent flammability testing standards and will help automakers improve thermal management and passenger safety. For example, Freudenberg developed an advanced material that prevents flames from spreading in the car for up to 15 minutes.
The latest news shows that China is merging two existing standards into a national mandatory standard-"Safety Requirements for Lithium-Ion Power Batteries for Electric Vehicles." The standard is now expected to be released in July 2019. "As the public becomes more concerned about safety issues and safety regulations are becoming more stringent, Chinese OEMs and battery system suppliers will pay more attention to the performance of battery thermal management. We are ready to provide our customers with Value-added solutions for materials expertise, "said Dr. Clemens Elliger, Director of Strategic Business Development and Manager of New Energy Vehicles at ENF (China). ENF (China) is an affiliate established by Freudenberg Sealing Technology Group and Japan's NOK Corporation to provide innovative sealing solutions for the fast-growing Chinese market.
At present, ENFU (China) is vigorously expanding its electric vehicle supporting business in China. The company's products and solutions cover lithium-ion battery applications, electric powertrain applications, and fuel cell applications. ENFU (China) uses leading technology to develop materials with excellent thermal management properties that can withstand temperature ranges under extreme conditions. Based on Freudenberg Sealing Technology's technical expertise in the field of engineering and materials, ENF (China) has been working with global automotive manufacturers and international engineering companies to develop battery insulation materials since early 2018.