Japanese materials supplier Asahi Kasei Corp. and its U.S.-based subsidiary Celgard will display a newly-developed lithium-ion battery concept at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference Europe (AABC) in Strasbourg, France, at the end of this month.
Featuring high-performance thermoplastics and separators, the mock-up showcases thermoplastics used in the design of lightweight, flame-resistant compact structural battery parts.
In a Jan. 15 news release, the company said it used modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) Xyron resins to produce structural components, such as battery spacers and cell-holders. Xyron mPPE engineering plastics are low density thermoplastics offering excellent dimensional and hydrolitic stability, in addition to good electrical properties, making them extremely suitable for light and compact battery housings.
The design also features an exhaust duct made from mPPE particle foam SunForce boasting a high fire protection class of UL94 V-0, high formability and high thermal insulation properties.
Asahi Kasei's subsidiary Celgard, based in Charlotte, N.C., is a developer and manufacturer of high-performance battery membrane separator technology. The film separators are used in a broad range of energy storage applications, including rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, disposable lithium batteries and specialty energy storage.