Since coming on the scene, New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), popularly known as electric vehicles, have changed the world's view of transportation. They depend on electricity, which is housed in huge battery packs. This technology ultimately lowers the need for fossil fuels and plays a role in combating climate change.
Interestingly, no NEV can run without a battery pack. The battery pack is a complex assembly that needs to be durable, reliable, and safe. Battery packs come with critical designs, and fixation is a major part of this design. The components in a battery pack have to be held in place, and pressure-sensitive adhesives are trusted to do this.
Just before we find out what role PSA tapes play in moving battery packs, it is important to find out exactly what they are. In their simplest form, PSA tapes are sticky materials that need just pressure to bind. They cure without needing chemicals or heat. They play quite a number of roles in NEV battery packs, such as holding modules and cells in place.
Importance of Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives in NEV Batteries
There are quite a number of reasons why pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are a force to reckon with in assembling electric-vehicle batteries. Battery packs have to deal with extreme conditions. Some of them are the likelihood of a fire when they overheat, forces from accidents, and vibrations from road bumps. PSA tapes come in handy in making batteries flame-retardant and shockproof.
These properties significantly improve the safety of the vehicle, passengers, and drivers.
PSA Tapes Help with Battery Pack Fixation
So long as NEV battery packs are concerned, fixation involves putting everything together so it remains steady even under stress. Battery packs can be compared to giant Lego sets; they are made up of several cells arranged into modules. These cells are housed in a protective container. In the absence of the right degree of fixation, extreme vibrations could affect these connections, ultimately causing safety hazards or failures. This is where PSA tapes come into the picture.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes provide structural bonding. They bond cells together, developing a solid module. With this, there is no need for screws and other mechanical fasteners, known for making components unnecessarily complex and weighty.
When used in assembling packs, PSA tapes help in fixing compression pads. With PSA tapes holding components in place, there is full-surface adhesion, and you never have to worry about shifts. Additionally, these tapes ensure that thermal interface materials (TIMs) to the cooling plates are secured. This ultimately helps with efficient heat transfer.
There's more. PSA tapes help in sealing the pack. They help develop watertight gaskets, ultimately offering protection from moisture and dust. Plus, they fill the spaces between rigid parts. As much as this fixation does a great job of holding things together, that's not all it does. It helps with integrating functions like damping and insulation.
PSA Tapes Help with Achieving Shockproof Properties
Battery packs need protection from mechanical stresses, impacts, and vibrations. This is because NEVs deal with crashes, potholes, and rough roads, and if the battery must continue working, it has to absorb these impacts without getting damaged. PSA tapes have a cushioning and damping ability that helps them protect battery packs from shocks.
On the surface, it doesn't quite seem like PSA tapes have what it takes to shockproof battery packs. However, the fact is that they are made from materials that make this possible. They use foam backings such as polyurethane (PU) or polyethylene (PE), which are viscoelastic and compressible.
When force is applied, they deform. However, they don't take up their new shape. They bounce back to their former shape. This way, they are able to reduce noise and absorb vibrations.
A simple example of this is cell stacks in which compression pads bonded with PSA tapes give cells room to expand and contract during use. This helps deal with cracks. As much as PSA tapes help with cushioning, acrylic foam tapes fill gaps a lot better. They handle uneven surfaces properly.
PSA Tapes Have Flame-Retardant Properties
NEV batteries are a time bomb in the absence of flame retardancy, no thanks to the likelihood of lithium-ion cells overheating. When this happens, it could birth a chain reaction of fires. PSA tapes reduce the likelihood of a fire because they incorporate materials that put up resistance to ignition, ultimately slowing down the spread of fires.
Many of PSA products incorporate flame-retardant additives in their adhesives. These additives include halogen-free compounds in silicone or acrylic bases. These meet standards like UL 94 V-0, in which the tape fails to drip flaming particles and stops burning in a matter of seconds.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are laminated to materials like aerogels, ceramic papers, or mica. They create barriers, ultimately helping with insulation. A simple example is intumescent layers, which have a reputation for expanding when heated. They are positioned between the vehicle floor and the pack to help prevent heat transfer. According to global safety rules, this provides an escape window of five minutes.
In cell wrapping, flame-retardant tapes encapsulate fibers to prevent cohesive failure during fires. Double-coated tapes bond these to cells, ensuring the barrier stays intact. Silicone-based tapes handle high temperatures (up to hundreds of degrees) without degrading. For thermal management, tapes with low thermal conductivity prevent heat propagation between cells. They are compressible, accommodating swelling while maintaining fire resistance. In busbars and electrical insulation, tapes add dielectric strength to avoid arcing, which could spark fires.
These properties are tested rigorously, including for breakdown voltage (e.g., per ASTM D3755). By not fuelling fires and containing them, PSA tapes significantly boost battery safety.
The combination of flame-retardant and shockproof features helps PSA tapes play a vital role in battery safety. They deal with mechanical issues that could result in electrical hazards. Plus, they help curtail thermal events to prevent catastrophes.
Conclusion
The safety benefits of PSA tapes are not just beneficial to EVs. They are generally useful in manufacturing. In the absence of a cure time, workers are less exposed to chemicals. Additionally, an easy application helps deal with errors. Also, end-users enjoy some benefits. With reliable fixation, longer warranties and fewer recalls are inevitable.
Are you an EV battery manufacturer looking for the right tape for easy assembling? Crown Adhesive Tape has got you covered.