New Electrolube products for battery thermal management

Implementing the most effective thermal management solutions will significantly contribute to improving battery performance, safety, reliability and, ultimately, increasing the lifetime of the battery, particularly given the increasing trend towards high-capacity battery packs and fast charging.

Electrolube’s thermal gap filler, GF400, is a highly effective heat transfer solution, providing excellent thermal performance at 4.0 W/m.k. The two-part, liquid silicone-based filler is well suited for a PCB placed in an aluminium casing, filling potential voids with material and improves the transfer of heat, improving reliability. GF400 is a thick liquid that can easily be applied around different shaped housings with low stress on components.

Following application, the gap filler can be cured at room temperature or accelerated with heat, with a wide operating temperature range between -50 to +200°C. The low viscosity of GF400 enables easier dispensing and following curing, GF400 forms a low modulus elastomer, preventing the pump-out phenomenon of the thermal interface layer from the bond line.

Electrolube’s HTCPX Non-Silicone Heat Transfer Compound PLUS Xtra provides the ultimate in thermal conductivity together with the advantage of using a non-silicone base oil. The exceptional properties obtained from HTCPX are due to the novel use of various metal oxide (ceramic) powders. These materials are electrically insulative to ensure that leakage currents can not be formed if the paste should come into contact with other parts of the assembly.

HTCPX has excellent thermal conductivity at 3.40 W/m.K and provides a wide operating temperature range from -50°C to +180°C. Designed for gap filling applications, the Non-Silicone Heat Transfer Compound is vibration stable, low in toxicity and upholds excellent non-creep characteristics.

To achieve prolonged battery life and higher efficiency, Electrolube’s Thermally Conductive Epoxy Potting Compound, ER2221, is a highly thermally conductive resin with low viscosity, well suited for potting cells within electric vehicle batteries. The UL94 V-0 approved epoxy potting compound can withstand long durations at high temperatures and can assist with securing cells in place whilst dissipating the heat away to the surroundings.

The resin effectively creates a protective shield around the battery and enables excellent adhesion, high temperature resistance, high thermal conductivity and retention of characteristics throughout the thermal cycling process. ER2221 is coloured black with an operating temperature of 150°C and an advanced thermal conductivity value, in comparison to other encapsulants, of 1.20W/m.K.

The soft and removable PU resin, UR5044, is a high performance potting compound that allows easy repair and rework in-field with user-friendly resin packs. The material provides excellent protection from extreme and varied environmental factors and is fully UL approved. The flexibility and softness of this resin makes it highly shock absorbent, suited for battery applications subject to vibration and shock. Electrolube’s UR5044 provides excellent protection from extreme and varied environmental factors.

Ron Jakeman, Electrolube’s Managing Director, commented: “Electrolube has served the automotive industry’s major manufacturers for many years, increasing the reliability of their electronics, in one of the most variable applications and rapidly growing markets. In conjunction, we have seen a surge in demand from many battery application customers and Electrolube is increasingly becoming the go-to resource in this market for specialist electro-chemical solutions that help manufacturers bring high-quality, reliable batteries to market faster.

“We have numerous, versatile solutions that provide excellent protection in a wide range of environments and frequently develop bespoke solutions for our customers if an application presents more of a challenge.”