Silicones From Wevo Support The Battery Market to Meet ATEX Requirements, Offering Excellent Thermal Mitigation Properties

The use of battery systems and stacks has an increasing role to play in many different areas of our lives, whether in the home for energy storage or as the power source in e-mobility applications or in industry. In industrial applications, in particular, specific needs and requirements have to be met – especially regarding the use of battery systems and materials in harsh environments where there is elevated explosion risk. The ATEX Directives set safety standards for devices and materials within the European Union to ensure workers’ protection and safety in these areas. WEVO-CHEMIE GmbH has developed several silicone-based products especially for use in the battery systems produced by SAFT Groupe S.A., meeting ATEX requirements and moreover offering UL94 V-0 approval as well as excellent thermal mitigation properties.

Image: © Alexandr Bognat / omphoto – stock.adobe.com

The areas with higher explosion risks are manifold. Potential applications include environments with flammable mediums or the release or creation of flammable gases and vapour – from paint spraying or fuel and chemical handling stations to workplaces handling fine organic dust, such as wood or paper pulp. Intended to ensure the safety and protection of employees, the ATEX Directives are a set of standards within the European Union for materials and components used in these environments with the goal of lowering the risk of working with equipment used in explosive atmospheres.

The French manufacturer of batteries and accumulators, SAFT Groupe S.A., a company of TotalEnergies SE, uses WEVOSIL 22006 FL to fulfil the stringent requirements associated with its innovative battery systems and enable their use in environments where ATEX approval is needed. The Wevo product fulfils different purposes in the production process – including potting and encapsulating various electronic components or the whole battery unit.

WEVOSIL SUITABLE FOR USAGE WITHIN BATTERY SYSTEMS 

WEVOSIL 22006 FL combines several universal properties, making it suitable for all kinds of applications in the battery field: low viscosity for optimal filling of small cavities and fast filling, low Shore hardness for damping effect, and good mechanical and electrical insulation properties. Moreover, the product not only offers excellent thermal mitigation properties, it is also UL94 V-0 approved and thus plays a large part in ensuring that the battery system meets ATEX requirements. 

WEVOSIL 22006 FL is one in a series of Wevo’s multi-functional, universal potting materials with added values for various applications. Wevo’s range of silicone systems have undergone verification for many applications and special requirements. These needs expand beyond the requirements of thermal conductivity alone but also towards battery thermal management, thermal runaway and mitigation – the solutions combine high thermal conductivity with low density and good mechanical performance. Silicones from Wevo are available as low viscosity materials for encapsulation or thixotropic materials for potting or gap fill.

Wevo’s continuous product development addresses future applications in the field of fuel cells, flow batteries, ultracapacitors, electric machines and other high-power electronics within the energy, e-mobility and industrial fields. Moreover, Wevo is working on topics such as longevity, sustainability and recycling, also together with its customers.