Introduction:
Aerogel, a lightweight solid material composed of nanoscale particles, has gained significant attention for its unique properties in various applications. In the realm of new energy vehicles, aerogel's exceptional thermal insulation capabilities make it an ideal choice for protecting and safeguarding electric vehicle battery systems. This article explores the remarkable features of aerogel and highlights its role in enhancing the safety and performance of new energy vehicle batteries.
What is Aerogel?
Aerogel is a solid material comprising interconnected nanostructures and nanoporous networks formed by the aggregation of nanocolloidal particles. It exhibits a smoke-like appearance due to its internal structure, which is characterized by highly uniform pore sizes approximately one million times smaller than a bread loaf and interconnected pores throughout the material. The particle size of the aerogel framework is also about a thousand times smaller than that of flour particles, giving it a unique structure often referred to as "frozen smoke."
Key Characteristics of Aerogel:
1. Low thermal conductivity: Aerogel possesses an extremely low thermal conductivity, making it an excellent insulating material.
2. High temperature resistance: Aerogel demonstrates exceptional resistance to high temperatures, ensuring its stability and effectiveness in extreme environments.
3. Lightweight and thin: Aerogel is lightweight and can be produced in thin forms, minimizing its impact on the overall weight and size of the battery system.
4. Hydrophobicity: Aerogel exhibits excellent water repellency, protecting the battery components from moisture-related issues.
5. Superior dimensional stability: Aerogel maintains its shape and size under varying conditions, providing long-term stability and reliability.
6. Lightweight construction: The lightweight nature of aerogel contributes to overall weight reduction, enhancing the energy efficiency of the vehicle.
7. Moderate flexibility: Aerogel displays a suitable level of flexibility, allowing it to adapt to the expansion and contraction of battery cells during charging and discharging cycles.
Aerogel Insulation Pad for Battery Thermal Protection:
An aerogel insulation pad is a composite product consisting of thin aerogel felt combined with PET/PI film. It possesses a low thermal conductivity at room temperature and exhibits flame retardancy without generating particulate matter. The aerogel insulation pad is primarily used in the intercellular spaces of new energy battery fire-proof enclosures. In the event of thermal runaway in a single battery cell, the pad effectively isolates the heat from spreading to adjacent cells, safeguarding their normal operation. Additionally, the pad provides insulation and cushioning properties.
Battery Insulation Pad for Thermal Protection:
The battery insulation pad, composed of pre-oxidized silk or other types of aerogel composite materials, encapsulated with high polymers (PET, PI) film or flame retardant coatings, offers excellent thermal insulation and cushioning capabilities. It is primarily used for thermal protection between the cells of lithium-ion batteries, preventing thermal runaway and significantly improving the safety of new energy vehicles. When a thermal event occurs in one cell, the aerogel insulation pad interposed between cells acts as a barrier, preventing the transfer of heat to neighboring cells, thus averting the domino effect of thermal runaway in the battery pack. The aerogel insulation pad also exhibits excellent compressibility, allowing it to accommodate the expansion and contraction of battery cells during charge and discharge cycles.
Aerogel's Role in Electric Vehicle Battery Safety:
Electric vehicles predominantly rely on lithium-ion batteries as their power source. Thermal runaway in batteries poses a significant safety concern. By incorporating aerogel insulation materials, the safety of new energy vehicles is greatly enhanced. Aerogel insulation sheets, based on silicon dioxide aerogel and ceramic fiber substrates, are used to prevent heat transfer between heat-generating components and the outer casing of the battery system. Aerogel felts exhibit low thermal conductivity, excellent insulation performance, and non-combustibility. Compared to traditional insulation materials, aerogel felts require only one-fifth to one-third of the thickness to achieve the same level of thermal insulation. Currently, numerous automotive battery manufacturers employ silicon dioxide aerogel composite felts on a large scale as separation materials in battery modules.
Thermal Advantages of Aerogel Materials:
The application of aerogel materials in the field of new energy vehicles offers several thermal advantages, including:
1. Excellent fire resistance: Aerogel materials provide optimal operating temperatures for lithium batteries while ensuring valuable evacuation time in the event of accidental fires.
2. Low thermal conductivity: Aerogel materials exhibit superior thermal insulation properties, allowing for thinner insulation layers and maximizing the utilization of the battery compartment.
3. Waterproofing capability: Aerogel materials offer exceptional water resistance, ensuring prolonged service life.
4. Non-toxic and environmentally friendly: Aerogel materials are non-toxic and environmentally friendly, posing no pollution risks.
By incorporating aerogel insulation pads between battery cells, the propagation of thermal events can be effectively suppressed, delaying accidents. Furthermore,aerogel's lightweight nature contributes to overall weight reduction in the battery system, improving the energy efficiency and range of electric vehicles.
Conclusion:
Aerogel, with its remarkable thermal insulation properties, is revolutionizing the protection and safety of new energy vehicle batteries. Its low thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, lightweight construction, and other unique characteristics make it an ideal choice for thermal management in electric vehicles. Aerogel insulation pads and materials effectively mitigate the risk of thermal runaway and enhance the overall safety and performance of battery systems. As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, aerogel is poised to play a crucial role in advancing the development of next-generation energy storage technologies.
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