Protective Coatings for EV Battery Safety

A thermal insulation material for preventing cascading thermal runaway in electrical energy storage devices like batteries. The insulation contains a ceramic matrix with an inorganic endothermic material that absorbs heat and generates non-flammable gases at temperatures above normal operating levels but below runaway temperatures. This slows heat transfer, absorbs energy, vents gases, and dilutes toxic fumes to prevent runaway chain reactions. The insulation structure can be shaped using methods like dry pressing, infiltration, vacuum forming, or molding to optimize gas generation and distribution.

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Electric vehicle power source module design to improve safety and thermal management. The module uses a potting material between the cells and a cooling plate. Spacers surround the cell vents to prevent potting intrusion. The potting material joins the cells and plate into a solid unit. The spacers also create expansion areas around the vents. This allows vented pressure to escape through the spacers and cooling plate holes instead of intruding into the potting. The potting provides thermal conduction between cells and plate, joins them, and prevents contact.

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A thermal insulation and/or electrical insulation and fire protection material for electrochemical battery cells, modules and packs. The material is an inorganic platelet composition that is applied to battery cell surfaces, interstitial spaces between cells, and battery module/pack housings to prevent thermal runaway propagation and electrical short circuits. It isolates cells to stop thermal runaway from spreading, insulates cells to prevent shorts, and contains fires. The inorganic platelet composition can be coated, impregnated, or wrapped onto support layers like films, felts, or papers.

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A separator for lithium-ion batteries that has improved thermal stability and suppresses battery temperature increases during overcharge or impact. The separator is made by treating cellulose or inorganic fiber separators with phosphate or phosphite solutions to replace hydroxyl groups on the fiber surfaces with phosphate or phosphate residues. This modification reduces thermal shrinkage and limits battery temperature increases compared to untreated separators.

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A heat-resistant separator for lithium-ion batteries that can withstand high operating temperatures without melting or shrinking. The separator is made of a thin layer of tightly packed, small heat-resistant particles held together by a small amount of porous inert polymer. The particles form a network of interconnected interstices that allows electrolyte flow between electrodes. The polymer bonds the particles together to form a unified separator layer. This design allows the separator to function reliably at high temperatures without affecting ion transport, preventing short circuits or thermal runaway.

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Electrode, separator, and battery designs with improved thermal stability and safety in lithium-ion batteries. The electrode design involves coating the electrode surface with an organic/inorganic composite separator layer that contains heat-absorbing inorganic particles like antimony compounds, metal hydroxides, guanidine compounds, boron compounds, or zinc tartrate. These particles absorb or consume heat generated inside the battery to prevent overheating and combustion. The separator can also be made by coating the heat-absorbing particles onto a substrate. The composite separator/coating layer improves battery safety by preventing short circuits and suppressing thermal runaway.

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Electrode, separator, and battery design for lithium-ion batteries that improve thermal stability and safety. The electrode has a porous coating layer made of heat-absorbing inorganic particles and a binder. The separator can contain heat-absorbing particles as well. These components absorb or consume heat generated inside the battery during charging and discharging, preventing runaway reactions and thermal runaway. The heat-absorbing particles also reduce the risk of ignition and explosion if an internal short circuit occurs. The coating layer and separator designs provide thermal management and short circuit protection without adding mass or thickness.

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Electrode and separator design for lithium-ion batteries that improves safety and thermal stability. The electrode has a porous coating layer containing heat-absorbing inorganic particles like antimony compounds, metal hydroxides, boron compounds, or zinc tartrate. These particles absorb or consume heat when the battery overheats, preventing runaway reactions. The separator can also contain heat-absorbing particles to prevent internal shorts. The porous coating and separator layers provide a path for ions while absorbing/consuming heat.

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Electrode and separator for lithium batteries that improve safety and thermal stability. The electrode has an organic/inorganic composite coating layer on its surface containing heat-absorbing inorganic particles. The separator contains heat-absorbing particles that pyrolyze or consume heat generated inside the battery. These particles absorb or consume heat generated during internal short circuits to prevent ignition and explosion. The organic/inorganic composite coating on the electrode also absorbs heat and prevents thermal runaway. The heat-absorbing particles can be compounds like antimony, metal hydroxides, guanidines, boron, or zinc tartrate.

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Modifying the surface of the electrode material in lithium-ion batteries with a nitrogen-containing polymer to create a thermal protective film. This film forms during battery activation and prevents thermal runaway by inhibiting ionic current flow when battery temperatures exceed a certain threshold. The nitrogen-containing polymer modifier covers the electrode material surface and allows a unique, nanoporous solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film to form during charging. This film not only protects the electrode material but also crosslinks at high temperatures to block current and prevent thermal runaway.

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High heat resistance composite separator for lithium batteries that provides superior safety and stability at high temperatures. The separator has two coating layers on opposite surfaces of a porous substrate. One layer contains inorganic particles bonded with a polymer to prevent shrinkage and melting at high temperatures. The other layer is a high heat resistance polymer without melting. This allows the separator to withstand internal short circuits and external penetration without shape change or melting. The inorganic coating prevents shrinkage and decomposition reactions, while the high heat polymer prevents melting and shape change.

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A heat-resistant separator for lithium-ion batteries that provides improved thermal stability, cycling performance, and safety compared to conventional separators. The separator has a thin heat-resistant fibrous layer coated on one or both sides of a porous polyolefin film. The fibrous layer is made by electrospinning a heat-resistant polymer resin with melting point >180°C. This prevents separator melting at high temperatures. The fibrous layer also reduces shrinkage compared to immersing the separator in resin. The fibrous layer provides a shutdown function, low thermal contraction, and good electrochemical properties.

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High-capacity lithium-ion battery with improved safety against overheating. The battery uses a separator with a unique multi-layer structure to prevent separator melting and shrinkage during overheating events. The separator has a heat-resistant layer sandwiched between multiple heat-melting layers. The heat-melting layers have lower melting points than the heat-resistant layer. When the battery overheats, the heat-melting layers melt and fuse together, sealing off the battery and preventing further thermal runaway. The heat-resistant layer prevents melting or shrinking at higher temperatures. This allows thermal welding of the separator during manufacturing without issues.

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Conformal ceramic coatings on porous polymeric separators used in lithium-ion batteries to improve electrolyte retention, mechanical strength, and thermal stability while maintaining the separator's pore volume and electrical resistivity. The coatings are formed using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit conformal layers of ceramic material on all surfaces of the separator, including the pore walls. The ALD process involves sequential deposition of atoms of aluminum and oxygen to form a thin layer of aluminum oxide on the separator surfaces. This coating retains the separator's pore volume, electrolyte retention, and electrical resistivity while providing additional strength and thermal stability.

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Heat-resistant separator for lithium-ion batteries with improved thermal stability, cycling performance, and electrode adhesion. The separator has a thin layer of heat-resistant ultrafine fibers coated on one or both sides of the separator film. The fibers are made by electrospinning a heat-resistant polymer with melting point >180°C. This prevents separator melting during battery abuse. The fibers enhance thermal endurance, adhesion to electrodes, and reduce thermal contraction compared to coating a thick heat-resistant layer.

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Containing thermal runaway and fires in lithium battery cells to prevent spread and damage. The method involves compartmentalizing battery cells into smaller isolated sections to contain a localized fire within that section. The compartments can be inside a larger container made of materials like cardboard, fiberglass, or aluminum that is coated with an intumescent fire retardant. This coating expands when heated to insulate and contain the fire. The compartments themselves can also be coated or made of fire-resistant materials.

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Barrier apparatus between battery modules in electric vehicles to prevent thermal runaway propagation between modules. The barrier has two layers: a thermally insulating layer and an intumescent layer on top. The insulating layer prevents heat transfer between modules, and the intumescent layer expands and seals gaps during thermal events to contain failures.

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A system to control the release of thermal energy and hot gas from a battery pack during a thermal runaway event. The system uses an enclosure failure port assembly that remains closed during normal operation but opens during thermal runaway. This provides an exhaust path for hot gas generated during runaway. The port assembly has a thin region with thicker perimeter areas that fail sequentially. The battery pack enclosure is made of high-melting materials like ceramic or intumescent layers. A heat resistant channel directs the gas flow away from the passenger compartment. Insulation and fire retardant layers isolate the pack from the compartment.

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Controlling the release of thermal energy and hot gas from a battery pack during thermal runaway to prevent cascading cell failures and mitigate risks to passengers and property. The battery pack enclosure has a failure port that remains closed during normal operation but opens during thermal runaway. This provides an exhaust path for hot gas. The enclosure is made of a material that melts at high temps, like 800°C or 1000°C, and has layers like intumescent or ceramic to prevent melting during runaway. It may also have channels to guide exhaust away from passengers.

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Reducing thermal energy transfer between battery arrays of a battery pack to prevent venting during high temperature events. The technique involves using a phase change material (PCM) sandwiched between adjacent battery arrays and a thermal exchange device like a liquid coolant channel. The PCM absorbs excess heat from one array to prevent it transferring to the other array. This prevents one array overheating and venting due to thermal runaway, as the PCM acts as a thermal barrier. The PCM can be adhesively secured to the thermal exchange device.

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Battery cell design for improved cycle life and safety by using phase change materials (PCMs) to manage internal temperatures. The battery cell has a plate shape with sealing parts that close around the cell edges. The sealing parts have bent sections that contact the outer cell housing. PCM is coated on the bent sealing sections and inserted into the bent spaces. This allows PCM to absorb/release heat from the cell housing to maintain a consistent temperature inside the cell during charging/discharging. It prevents excessive temperature rises and suppresses temperature spikes compared to uncoated cells.

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Casing and sleeve materials for electrochemical cells like batteries and capacitors that improve thermal management and safety. The casings contain a combination of phase change materials (PCMs) and other temperature management materials (TMMs) that provide heat dissipation and insulation. The PCMs absorb/release heat during charging/discharging to prevent excessive temperature spikes. The TMMs provide gap filling and surface wetting to prevent air gaps that can actually increase cell temperatures. The casings can be customized for different cell shapes and sizes. The PCMs have high latent heat and transition temperatures between 0-100°C. The TMMs can be elastomers or other materials.

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Electrode and separator design for lithium-ion batteries that improves thermal stability and safety. The electrode has a heat-absorbing porous coating layer containing inorganic particles like antimony compounds, metal hydroxides, boron compounds, and zinc tartrate. The separator can also have these heat-absorbing particles. They absorb or consume heat generated in the battery, preventing runaway reactions and explosions. The particles interconnect and fix to the separator/electrode substrate using a binder polymer. This provides a porous barrier that prevents direct contact between the electrodes. The heat-absorbing particles also improve electrolyte ion conductivity.

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Preventing cascading thermal runaway in battery packs by reducing intercell heat transfer and increasing cooling. The technique involves using an air gap between cells to make it harder for a cell in thermal runaway to conduct heat to neighboring cells. It also uses high heat capacity materials like phase change materials between cells and heat conductors to absorb more heat energy. This slows down heat accumulation in neighboring cells when a cell goes into thermal runaway. The goal is to prevent one cell's thermal runaway from catalyzing others.

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A secondary battery pack for electric vehicles that improves thermal management to prevent thermal runaway and propagation between cells. The pack uses a syntactic foam insulation made of hollow glass beads in a silicone binder. This foam provides thermal insulation and minimizes temperature differences between cells. It also has low water absorption to prevent swelling in wet conditions. The pack also has thermal barriers and spacers to isolate cells and prevent thermal propagation. The spacers maintain cell position during thermal events. The pack may also have coolant channels to dissipate heat. This comprehensive thermal management strategy mitigates cell-to-cell thermal effects and risks.

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A secondary battery pack with improved thermal management to prevent propagation of thermal runaway between cells and minimize the effects of extreme temperatures. The pack uses a specific syntactic foam made of silicone rubber binder and hollow glass beads. This foam is sandwiched between the battery cells to insulate them from each other and the pack enclosure. It also absorbs thermal energy to reduce temperature spikes. The foam has low water absorption to prevent swelling in wet conditions. The pack may also have thermal management features like cooling channels, heat sinks, and spacers to further isolate cells and dissipate heat.

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Secondary battery pack for electric vehicles with improved thermal management and low temperature insulation. The pack contains the battery cells, surrounded by a syntactic foam made of hollow glass microspheres bonded with a silicone rubber. This foam provides thermal insulation and suppresses propagation of thermal excursions between cells. It also helps prevent damage at low temperatures. The foam is formed by mixing the microspheres, silicone rubber, and curing agent, then foaming and curing the mixture. The foam density can be adjusted by varying the glass sphere size and silicone rubber content.

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A secondary battery pack for electric vehicles that improves thermal management to prevent thermal runaway propagation between cells. The pack has a syntactic foam insulation made of silicone rubber with hollow glass microspheres. This foam isolates the cells from heat and cold. The pack also has heat dissipation members made of thermally conductive materials. These members have coolant channels to exchange heat with the cells. This prevents thermal events in one cell from spreading to adjacent cells. The pack can further have coolant inlet/outlet manifolds and thermal exchange tubes between cells to circulate coolant. This active cooling prevents cells from overheating during charging/discharging.

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Battery design to mitigate propagation of thermal runaway between lithium-ion battery cells in a pack. The battery enclosure is filled with rigid foam insulation that covers the outer surfaces of the cell containers. This prevents heat and gas transfer between cells if one cell experiences thermal runaway. The foam also provides electrical and thermal insulation. The foam is injected after the cells are installed to avoid leakage. The foam covers at least 50% of the cell container height. The battery also has features like sealed cell lids and flanges with seals to prevent foam leakage.

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Cure-in-place, lightweight, thermally conductive interface between a thermal energy source like a battery and adjacent structures to prevent thermal runaway propagation. The interface has a thermally conductive foam pad with filler material like graphite or boron nitride. The foam pad is disposed between the battery and adjacent components like other batteries. It absorbs and conducts heat from the battery to prevent neighboring batteries from overheating if one enters thermal runaway. The foam pad density is below 0.5 g/cm3 for lightweight contact with the batteries.

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Electrical energy storage device with improved thermal management between adjacent cells to prevent overheating and aging issues. The device has compressible, flexible, heat-conducting layers sandwiched between cell interfaces. These layers abut the cell interfaces under pressure. Heat-conducting devices in the layers transfer thermal energy from charging/discharging cells to dissipate heat from the cell interfaces. This prevents hotspots and uniformly manages cell temperatures.

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Electrical energy storage device with improved thermal management for prismatic storage cells to prevent cell warming and aging during charging and discharging. The device has compressible, flexible, and heat-conducting layers sandwiched between the cell interfaces. These layers absorb the cell shape changes and conduct the heat away from the cell interfaces to prevent localized heating. This prevents cell warming and aging in the intermediate spaces between cells.

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Battery assembly for electric vehicles that eliminates spacers between battery cells and uses a thermally conductive film wrapped around each cell. The film covers all sides except the top, allowing thermal conduction between cells. This enables direct thermal transfer between cells and reduces reliance on spacers. It also allows easier assembly by avoiding the need to insert and secure spacers between cells. The film provides electrical insulation between cells while enabling heat transfer. This enables adjacent cells to be closer together and reduces overall assembly volume.

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Thermally conductive member for battery packs that provides uniform cooling of each cell while preventing heat conduction to adjacent cells. The member has a three-layer structure with thermally conductive organic resin layers on both sides of a backing layer made of a material with low thermal conductivity. This sandwich construction allows high thermal conductivity on the cell-facing surfaces while insulating between them. This prevents heat transfer between cells while efficiently dissipating cell heat into the pack structure.

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Power supply device for batteries that reduces thermal propagation (fire spread) between cells and allows adaptability to swelling. The device uses separators made of flexible, heat insulating materials with restoring force. The separators deform when pressed by cells but recover shape to prevent thermal runaway spread. They have mesh structures or coatings to allow air pockets for insulation. This prevents fire propagation between cells while accommodating cell swelling.

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Temperature management system for lithium-ion battery modules used in hybrid vehicles that prevents short circuits and cell damage when the heat conducting element separates from the heat exchanger or cells. A reinforcement layer with higher stiffness than the heat exchanger is sandwiched between the heat conducting element and heat exchanger. This prevents contact loss between the heat conducting element and exchanger/cells during vibrations, shocks, and temperature cycling. The reinforcement layer's higher modulus of elasticity compared to the heat exchanger prevents separation and maintains thermal conductivity between the heat conducting element and heat exchanger/cells.

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Battery enclosure for automotive applications that improves battery thermal stability, safety, and longevity using multi-layer construction with thermal insulation, airflow management, and active cooling. The enclosure has a shaped outer case with an aperture and separable lid. The inner case and lid provide insulation with thickness less than 5 cm. Spacer pads between the inner and outer cases direct airflow. An air inlet draws outside air into the enclosure, and an outlet exhausts warmer air. Thermoelectric pads, cooling coils, or aerogel insulation regulate battery temperature. The multi-layer design prevents heat buildup, isolates the battery, and allows controlled airflow to cool the battery.

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Lithium ion battery cells with improved performance, safety, and longevity for electric vehicles. The battery cells have a core wrapped in a rectangular shell with gaskets to prevent contact between the core and end caps. This prevents short circuits. The core can have coiled electrode layers for high power density. The electrode materials are mixed crystal lithium iron phosphate with additional metal oxides for better cycling. The gaskets compress the core away from the caps to prevent internal hotspots. The rectangular shape reduces stress concentrations compared to cylindrical cells. The improved cell design prevents failures like internal shorts, hotspots, and thermal runaway.

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A busbar for electrically connecting cells in a battery module that breaks apart at high temperatures to prevent current and heat transfer between cells in case of a thermal runaway. The busbar has an inner core made of a material with a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the outer shell. When the core expands due to heat, it breaks the shell connection, disconnecting the cells. The shell is electrically conductive while the core can be insulating.

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