SABIC is pursuing two approaches in developing thermoplastic solutions for battery pack designs.

1) Material solutions to increase specific energy (W·h/Kg) output

The primary focus of material research at SABIC is the development of low-density thermoplastic materials within our product families that target battery pack requirements, in particular:

 

• UL94 V0 flammability rating at minimum thickness (0.7-1.5 mm)

• Chemical resistance testing to coolants and electrolytes

• Adhesive compatibility for ease of integration

• High specific strength and stiffness for outer housings

 

2) Design solutions to increase pack energy density (W·h/L) output and safety

 

Application development for battery packs targets an increased ease of battery stacking in their modules, improved cooling and the integration of safety features to absorb crash energy and mitigate runaway cell reactions. The overall effect is a reduction in pack volume and assembly time.

 

This presentation delivers an overview of these two development areas.

 

Material solutions are highlighted by showing the components of the battery pack with their critical requirements (CTQs) and the thermoplastic materials that best fit those requirements. Heat maps for components allow an understanding of the primary performance requirements and the fit of the proposed thermoplastic materials.. The end goal is an increase in gravimetric performance (W·h/Kg) of the pack, achieved by minimizing the area weight of the individual components while respecting their CTQs.

 

The second development area involves designing compact solutions based on the selected thermoplastics. This is achieved by integration of components (e.g. side pole impact protection, undertray impact and fire protection) based on hybrid plastic-metal solutions and improved thermal control pathways.

 

SABIC validated improvements of 15 percent in volumetric output and 10 percent in gravimetric output when applying these proposed solutions for the battery pack of a specific commercial vehicle.

Training/Studies

Cornell University - Chemical Engineering 1978 to 1982

TU Clausthal, Germany - Material Science 1988 to 1991

 

Previous Jobs

 

1983 - 1985 Didier Taylor Refractories Corporation - Refractory Ceramics

1985 - 1988 Dow Chemical R&D North - Elastomers and plastics in wire and cable

1991 - 1998 Dow Automotive - Application Engineering Development - Auto interior trim

1998 - 2014 RUAG Space - Project Manager - Large satellite composite structures and science experiments for the International Space Station

 

Current occupation

 

Staff Scientist SABIC - Technology and Innovation - Global Technology Automotive Team

SABIC's Innovative Plastics business is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics. The company leads the plastics industry with customer collaboration and continued investments in new polymer technologies, global application development, process technologies, and environmentally responsible solutions that serve diverse markets such as healthcare, transportation, automotive, electrical, lighting and consumer electronics.