innovation
With the safety of passengers being paramount, the introduction of flame retarded electrolyte for lithium ion batteries is a major breakthrough.
Fighting fires with fluorochemicals By: Esther Francis
In the race to produce more efficient energy sources, manufacturers of lithium ion batteries( LiB) are being put under pressure to improve energy density and power and increase battery life. But, LiBs have been blamed for fires in electric vehicles, airplanes and laptops. That is all about to change.
Daikin America has introduced flame retarded, fluorinated electrolytes for use in LiB applications. The wholly owned subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Japan, headquartered in Orangeburg, New York, is one of the largest fluoropolymer suppliers in the world. Its patented fluorochemistry process enables the manufacture of LiBs with a higher energy density, enhanced safety, and a longer lifespan. In August 2012, Daikin completed the construction of an electrolyte manufacturing facility located in Decatur, Alabama.
“ Our business model is to work closely with each battery manufacturer to establish the optimum electrolyte formulation for their design, and to respond to the emerging needs of the market. In light of the recent concerns about the fire safety of Lithium ion Batteries, we feel we are uniquely positioned to offer functional, flame retarded, fluorinated electrolyte formulations that significantly increase battery safety,” says Gary Stanitis, Business Manager of Performance Products & Chemicals at Daikin America.
Daikin America says that its proprietary electrolyte chemistry greatly improves the fire safety for LiBs. A conventional LiB contains fuel( electrolyte), an oxidizer( active component) and multiple potential ignition sources. Fires in Lithium ion cells are due to the interaction of the fuel with the active component, together with a source of ignition such as a spark, or heat. The most viable safety solution, says the company, is to significantly reduce the flammability of the electrolyte by increasing the fluorochemical content by 20 % or more. According to Daikin, separate independent laboratories have shown that this strategy leads to superior cycling behavior compared to conventional hydrocarbon electrolytes.
Daikin prides itself on providing best-in-class fluoro-materials to the automotive supply chain globally across a wide range of applications. Daikin’ s products and technologies provide superior heat and chemical resistance, weatherability, fuel permeation resistance, lubricant and additive resistance. The company says that its fluoropolymer products provide long-life and reliable performance in harsh, aggressive automotive environments and applications.
The company has production facilities in all major regions and technical service support systems in the US. Clients include OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers of components and assemblies in areas such as powertrain sealing. Daikin’ s DAI-EL FKM fluoroelastomer and PTFE are used for transmission, driveline, axle, hybrid, differential and wheel seals. Its solutions for fuel systems include DAI-EL, PTFE, ETFE, EFEP, CPT and Dupra FFKM. They are used for fuel tubing, fuel hoses, O-ring seals, check valves, gaskets and fuel tank sender seals.
Engine sealing solutions include DAI-EL FKM and PTFE, which are used for radial shaft seals, low friction sealing, head gaskets, multi-layer coated steel gaskets, valve cover seals, cam cover seals, valve stem seals, oil pan seals and air intake manifold gasket seals. The company’ s fluorpolymers and DAI-EL FKM are also used for electronic applications such as wire jacketing, cable jacketing and seals. For automotive interiors, Daikin’ s Unidyne™ is used for stain resistance, soil resistance, UV protection, finger print / smudge resistance and scratch resistance.
Automotive Industries( AI) asked Dan Kennefick, Market Development Manager at Daikin America to describe the process behind the development of the new electrolyte for LiBs.
Kennefick: Daikin is an electrolyte manufacturer, but our primary expertise is in fluorochemical synthesis and manufacture. Our energy storage chemists have found that the addition of certain fluorochemical compounds can improve the stability of electrolytes at elevated voltages and temperatures. Most of these fluorochemicals are inherently non-flammable, and if we add
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