Electric-vehicle makers looking for fresh impetus are turning to thermoplastics, as these can be used to  improve the safety, performance and sustainability of the vehicles. Initial application areas for manufacturers can be found in a multitude of components ranging from battery cases to busbars, cooling lines and seals. Things become very interesting when material suppliers offer support in the form of CAE and injection molding analyses.

Thermoplastics play an important role in the batteries of electric vehicles. They help to keep battery temperatures in the optimal range for a long service life and high performance. 

16:9

Improving the Performance of Electric Vehicles with the Right Materials

Kfz-Elektronik

Elektronik

Elektromobilität

Mobilität

Polyamide

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Technische Kunststoffe

Electric, Environmentally Friendly, Thermoplastic

The conditions in electric vehicles place high demands on the materials used. Therefore, automakers and suppliers must resort to expensive, high-performance plastics. For many applications, cost-effective alternatives are plastics whose properties have been greatly improved by means of treatment with high-energy electron beams.

Fig. 1. Crosslinked engineering plastics can be used for many different applications in electric vehicles.

Irradiation Crosslinking Replaces High-Performance Plastics with Cheaper Polymers

Strahlenvernetzung

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Electron Booster for Electric Vehicles

The transformation from the combustion to the electric engine entails several imponderabilities for the plastics industry. In part, electric drives have completely different material requirements which are becoming specifically evident with the increasing use of appropriate vehicles.

In electric vehicles, the change in engine technology also entails new requirements for the plastic materials used

Flame Retardancy, Heat and Tracking Resistance of Electric Vehicles

Elektromotoren

Antriebe

Kunststoffe

Photonik

Optik

Elektronische Bauelemente

Leistungselektronik

Drivers of Electromobility

Electrical architecture in an E-car is significantly more challenging than for conventionally powered vehicles. Particularly for insulation of high-voltage (HV) components, the demands on the materials used are increasing. With specially-tailored materials for electric vehicles, challenges in automotive high-voltage technology can be overcome.

Insulation of high-voltage components in electric vehicles makes high demands on the materials used

Polyamide Specialties for Electromobility

Automotive

Kunststoff

Bauwesen

Baustoffe

High Voltage in Cars

The Chinese automotive manufacturer Geely will in the future use a polyamide 6 (PA6) from Lanxess for front-end (FE) carriers in its vehicles.

The front-end carrier for vehicles by the Chinese manufacturer Geely will be made of a PA6 from Lanxess in the future. © Lanxess

 PA for a Front-End Carrier

Most of the energy in a crash is absorbed by metal parts. A new additional polyamide (PA) crash absorber has for the first time been integrated into the front end of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The advantage is that an additional loadpath could be added without significantly increasing the mass of the car.  Close cooperation between the project partners and the use of suitable simulation tools were key to successful realization of this project.

As part of the safety concept in the front end of the latest S-Class, Mercedes-Benz uses a crash absorber made from polyamide.

Crash Absorbers made from PA for the Front End Carrier of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Kfz-Sicherheit, passiv

Kfz-Systeme

Kraftfahrzeugtechnik

Accident Protection with Plastics

Alternative powertrains, autonomous driving and the urge for more sustainability impact the vehicle design and driving experience.

 The USB connector system enables space saving of up to 60 %. The used PBT allows tight tolerances regardless of the ambient conditions.

Polybutylenterephthalat

Steckverbinder

Elektromechanik

Smaller, Faster, Lighter

Electromobility in particular, but also many other electrical applications, are asking for ever higher demands regarding the electrical properties of thermoplastics. This raises the question of whether the polymers commonly used in this area can still meet these demands. The plastics manufacturer, Lanxess, has now investigated how suitable, for example, polyamide and polybutylene terephthalate are for use at higher voltages and temperatures.

How Suitable Are PA and PBT for High-Voltage Applications?

Against the Current

With the change from internal combustion engines to hybrid and electric vehicles, peak operating temperatures have dropped from 135 °C to 110 °C. At the same time, the number of operating hours compared to combustion engines has increased nine-fold. This has an influence on material selection.

A Comparison of PA66 and PPA for Electric Vehicles

Higher Performance in Water

PMMA for lights, lighting solutions, automotive exteriors, and household appliances will take center-stage on Röhm’s booth at this year’s show.

Displays with a black panel effect for household appliances can be implemented in PMMA.

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Polymethylmethacrylat

More Design Freedom for Lights

A focal point of the Lanxess booth at the show this year will be materials for electromobility.

The demonstrator of a near-series- production housing for electric vehicle batteries is one of the highlights at  the Lanxess booth.

kunststoffe.de

Demonstrator for EV Battery Housings

Electric vehicles can be charged not only at charging stations, but also wirelessly. Here, the energy exchange takes place between an induction coil positioned in the ground and a receiver coil mounted in the e-car.

Wireless charging could increase the range, and therefore the acceptance of electromobility.

Flame Retardant Polyamide for Inductive Charging Systems

No Cable thanks to Suitable Compounds

The global market for PBT has recovered well from the aftermath of the corona pandemic. However, there is a lot going on among manufacturers at the moment.

PBT compounds are very much in demand for electromobility, including for parts of the battery, electric transmission and the charging infrastructure.

Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT): Demand for Products with Added Benefits

Electromobility and Sustainability Are Driving Growth

The strong demand for PMMA is based on the continually expanding diversity of applications.

Design trend light: in the TIR lens LFO by Bartenbach and kdg Opticomp made of a Plexiglas PMMA of Röhm, the surface of the lenses is structured using free-form surface facets in such a way that the light appears homogeneous.

Trotz Rohstoffengpässen und Turbulenzen in wichtigen Branchen stehen die  Zeichen für PMMA auf Wachstum

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA): Turbulence in Key Industries

Kennzahlen

Qualitätsmanagement

Despite Raw Material Shortages, the Signs for PMMA Point to Growth

Due to the climate change, new fields of development and sustainability topics have come into focus along the added-value chain.

Polyamide continues to be one of the most important technical plastics in the automotive sector, where it enjoys widespread use. This not only applies for classical internal combustion vehicles, but in terms of volume will also be the case for electric vehicles.

Polyamides: Electromobility and Sustainability Boost Developments

Kunststoff-Recycling

Dual Change with Polyamides

The transition to electric cars is transforming automotive design. And so polymers producer Röhm has developed special polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) molding compounds with this in mind. These are sold under the company’s well-known Plexiglas brand. At Fakuma, the company will be demonstrating how they can be used to combine design requirements and functional properties.

Large, brand-specific combination rear lamps are on trend in the automotive industry. These are implemented with the aid of different components, such as covers and light guides. Röhm believes that they can be made from transparent and diffuse light scattering PMMA molding compounds. To an extent depending on the grade, the molding compounds have high color stability, transparency and good scattering properties combined with low transmission loss. The company offers them in different formulations and colors.

Also on display will be PMMA Plexiglas Optical HT. This material has been developed specifically for use with high-performance LEDs. Until now, this often required a compromise between high optical purity and heat deflection stability. Röhm claims, however, that the molding compound meets both requirements. It is said to ensure very good optical quality, even at elevated continuous service temperatures, and so offers the automotive and lighting industries greater scope in their product design.

For meeting even higher heat requirements, the polymers manufacturer has developed Pleximid TT50 HF, a polymethyl methacrylimide (PMMI). Röhm says it also features greater flow capability and is therefore suitable for very fine structures.

Unlike internal combustion engines, the motors of electric cars are no longer dependent on a cooling air flow. For this reason, the eye-catching grille on the front of vehicles can make way for other elements, such as illuminated emblems, other lighting elements and sensor covers. Rugged plastic elements are in high demand for all of these applications. Materials at the front end and in the lower car body are exposed to demanding mechanical stresses. For this application, Röhm will be presenting impact-modified PMMA special molding compounds at the trade show that, it says, can withstand these stresses. Due to its balanced property profile, the PMMA is a rugged, cost-efficient alternative for many components that would otherwise require coating, adds the company.

In addition to automotive applications, Röhm will also be showcasing materials for household appliances. Here, the company offers, for instance, PMMA for displays that have a black panel effect. These are not recognizable as screens when switched off, but function normally as displays as soon as they are switched on. For this technology, Röhm offers special molding compounds in neutral gray colors. PMMA molding compounds can also be used for surface finishing of household appliances. According to the company, they provide a high-quality appearance and extend the durability of the product.

Röhm GmbH  

https://www.roehm.biz

Plexiglas Resist AG 100 is used, for example, in Volkswagen’s ID.3 electric vehicle

2021-10-07 werkstoffe Röhm

Messe Fakuma

issue 08/2022

issue 07/2022

issue 06/2022

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