Adligenswil, Switzerland, February 2024 - Sekisui Alveo, European manufacturer of high-quality polyolefin foams, has been an important partner to automotive suppliers for decades. The company’s expertise is now in demand as the automobile industry shifts towards electric vehicles. These present new challenges – especially regarding lithium-ion battery packs, used in most of today’s EVs. Polyolefin foams can maximize the performance of EV battery packs in a variety of ways.

Today’s electric vehicles require more power than ever before. They rely on electricity not only for propulsion but also for powering all motorized and electronic equipment in the car: systems for power-assisted operation, lighting, climate control, navigation, communication, infotainment, and more. This means that EV batteries must deliver more power, endure more charging cycles, and provide longer service life – while at the same time providing maximum efficiency and safety at an optimal cost-benefit ratio.

Polyolefin foams offer many benefits for batteries

Sekisui Alveo’s crosslinked polyolefin foams are ideal for battery applications due to a broad range of attributes including light weight, softness & resilience, durability, thermal insulation, chemical resistance, shock absorbency, cushioning, noise reduction, and sealing. Foam compression pads can take up the differential movement between parts as they expand and contract or as they are exposed to vibration. This is important because lithium-ion battery cells not only expand with age, they expand & contract slightly during charging and discharging.

Used for thermal insulation, polyolefin foam can help to keep batteries within a more efficient operating temperature range. Reducing the effect of external temperature differences reduces the energy demand for heating and cooling, which increases the vehicle’s range. Other issues are thermal management and controlling the risk of thermal runaway. Effective thermal management is paramount also because excessive heat is the foremost threat to batteries and electronics.

Inside the battery pack

A prime application of polyolefin foams in lithium-ion battery packs is as compression pads for cushioning outside the battery pack, cushioning between cells, and cushioning between modules. These pads prevent cell-to-cell contact, dampen vibration, and reduce dynamic impact on the cells and other components, thus enhancing quality & safety and extending the durability of the battery pack. Further applications: Specially-engineered polyolefin foams can be used as seals to prevent the ingress of moisture, dust, and other contaminants. Lightweight polyolefin foam materials can be used to replace some of the heavier components in traditional battery designs, reducing the weight of the battery pack and enhancing the vehicle's efficiency and range. Polyolefin foams can absorb noise and vibrations generated by the battery and other vehicle components, providing a quieter and more comfortable driving experience. Overall, when it comes to protection, polyolefin foam can be the battery’s best friend.

Competent partner for the automotive industry

Offering a wide range of high-quality foams, comprehensive foam know-how, and an excellent R&D infrastructure, Sekisui Alveo is the number-one European solution provider when it comes to innovative foam applications – and is an ideal partner for optimizing EV battery systems. The company’s foam types and grades meet all the requirements of the automotive industry and are found in uncounted car components.

If an off-the-shelf foam is not ideal for a certain application, Sekisui Alveo can design a custom foam to perfectly fit the bill. That’s a key mission of Sekisui Alveo’s in-house Application Service Laboratory, which is unique in the industry in Europe. The company’s lab technicians can fully test any foam and its technical behaviour in any application. This includes various conversion methods, prototype production, special application-related testing, and much more.

Now that EV production numbers are rapidly increasing, manufacturers are looking for ways to optimize performance and cost. One way can be to use polyolefin foams in place of the PUR or silicone foams originally used for EV battery systems. The specialists at Sekisui Alveo can provide such foam with an ideal balance between compressive stress & strain to achieve an optimal cost-benefit ratio.

Environmental performance

Sekisui Alveo’s high-quality foam products are available as standard grades as well as certified sustainable grades (ISCC PLUS). These certified foams contribute to reduction of carbon footprint compared to the standard grades and are produced with bio-circular mass-balanced materials, which further contributes to conserving fossil feedstocks along the supply chain. These ISCC PLUS certified sustainable foams allow customers to choose materials based on information which is credible, transparent, and verified by a qualified third party. André Sigrist, Business Unit Manager Industrial, Construction & Transportation at Sekisui Alveo, sees technical innovation in conjunction with environmental performance as the way forward: “With attributes like ISCC PLUS certification for improved sustainability and the option of choosing halogen-free flame retardants, Sekisui Alveo foams are ready to tackle the latest challenges of modern mobility. Our engineers and sales managers are ready and eager to continue collaborating with customers to achieve outstanding improvements and solutions.”