Battery module, manufacturing method thereof and battery pack comprising battery module

Abstract

The invention provides a battery module, a manufacturing method thereof and a battery pack comprising the battery module. Example embodiments relate to a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and an insulating member provided between the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member having an upper surface and a lower surface disposed to respectively face the battery cells adjacent thereto. The insulating member includes a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer formed between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet. Example embodiments also include a method of manufacturing the battery module and a battery pack including the battery module.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0078077 filed on June 19, 2023 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Example embodiments relate to a battery module and a method of manufacturing the same, and a battery pack including the battery module. Background Art

[0004] Secondary batteries are power storage systems that convert electrical energy into chemical energy, store chemical energy, and provide high energy density. Compared with non-rechargeable primary batteries, secondary batteries are usually rechargeable and are widely used in information technology (IT) devices such as, for example, smart phones, mobile phones, laptop computers, and tablet computers. At present, people are increasingly interested in electric vehicles to reduce or prevent environmental pollution, and high-capacity secondary batteries are usually used in electric vehicles. Secondary batteries usually show desired characteristics such as, for example, high density, high output and stability.

[0005] When a plurality of high-capacity battery cells are included, as in a lithium secondary battery, one battery cell may overheat and may enter thermal runaway due to various reasons, which may adversely affect other battery cells adjacent thereto, and so it is desirable to thermally separate adjacent battery cells from each other.

[0006] Conventionally, a plate or an insulating resin sheet is positioned between the battery cells to separate and insulate adjacent battery cells from each other. Summary of the invention

[0007] Embodiments provide a battery module having desired, advantageous or improved thermal insulation, fire resistance and flame retardancy or non-flammability, a method for manufacturing the same and a battery pack including the battery module to reduce or inhibit the propagation of heat in a battery cell to battery cells adjacent thereto due to thermal runaway of the battery cell.

[0008] Example embodiments include a battery module including a plurality of battery cells and an insulating member between the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member having an upper surface and a lower surface disposed to face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, wherein the insulating member includes a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet.

[0009] Each or one or more of the battery cells may be or include a secondary battery cell.

[0010] Each or one or more of the first and second insulating sheets may include a substrate and an aerogel layer formed on the substrate.

[0011] The substrates of the first and second insulating sheets may face the battery cells adjacent thereto, and the aerogel layer may face the expansion layer.

[0012] Each or one or more of the substrates of the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet may be made of or include at least one of a resin, a metal, and an inorganic material other than a metal.

[0013] Each or one or more of the aerogel layers of the first and second insulating sheets may include an aerogel, a fiber support, and a functional material including a binder, a dispersant, or a combination thereof.

[0014] Aerogels can have a diameter of about 500 m 2 / g~1,000m 2 The Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) specific surface area is in the range of 1.1747 W / g.

[0015] The fibrous support may be or include at least one of natural fibers, silica fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, mineral fibers, and polymer fibers.

[0016] The binder may include a water-based polymer binder.

[0017] The dispersant may be or include at least one of a surfactant, a silane coupling agent and a phosphate salt.

[0018] The aerogel may be included in a range of about 10 wt % to 90 wt %, the fiber support may be included in a range of about 5 wt % to 70 wt %, and the functional material may be included in a range of about 0.5 wt % to 20 wt % based on the total amount of the aerogel layer.

[0019] The expansion layer may be or include at least one of a foam material configured to foam when the ambient temperature increases to a range of about 100°C to 200°C and a flame retardant material having a melting point in a range of about 60°C to 100°C.

[0020] The foam material may be or include at least one of expanded graphite, an organic foaming agent and an inorganic foaming agent, the organic foaming agent may be or include at least one of azodicarbonamide, N,N'-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine and 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), and the inorganic foaming agent may be or include at least one of bicarbonate, carbonate and a salt of an organic acid.

[0021] The flame retardant material may be or include at least one of polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and a polymer in which a flame retardant is dispersed.

[0022] The thickness of the expansion layer may be in the range of about 1% to 30% of the total thickness of the insulation member.

[0023] When the expansion layer expands, the expansion layer may leak from the boundary side surface of the insulation member to form an outflow portion, and the length of the outflow portion from the boundary side surface of the insulation member may range from about 500% to 3000% of the thickness of the expansion layer.

[0024] In addition to the space in which the battery cell and the insulating member are arranged, the battery module may include a gap area, and the battery module may further include a coating formed to wrap the boundary side surface of the insulating member in the gap area formed in the lower part of the battery module, and the coating may include a flexible polymer.

[0025] The flexible polymer may be or include at least one of a fluorinated polymer, a polyurethane-based polymer, a polyolefin-based polymer, and a silicone-based polymer.

[0026] Another example embodiment includes a method of manufacturing a battery module, the method including manufacturing an insulating member and disposing the insulating member between a plurality of battery cells such that an upper surface and a lower surface of the insulating member are disposed to face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, wherein the insulating member includes a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer formed between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet.

[0027] Yet another example embodiment includes a battery pack including a battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] When the term "about" or "substantially" is used in conjunction with a numerical value in this specification, it is intended that the relevant numerical value includes a tolerance of ±10% around the numerical value. Moreover, when percentages are mentioned in this specification, these percentages are intended to be percentages based on weight, i.e. weight percentages. The expression "up to" includes amounts from zero to the upper limit expressed and all values ​​therebetween. When a range is indicated, the range includes all values ​​therebetween, such as increments of 0.1%.

[0029] The attached drawings incorporated in this specification illustrate example embodiments and are used to further illustrate the technical concept of the present disclosure in conjunction with the detailed description of the following example embodiments, and the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the contents shown in these drawings. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a battery module according to an example embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2 To show the basis Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an expansion layer in a battery module according to an exemplary embodiment after expansion;

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of an insulating member according to an example embodiment; and

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a battery module according to another exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the example embodiments. However, example embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and are not limited to the example embodiments described herein.

[0035] A battery module according to an example embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells and an insulating member provided between the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member having upper and lower surfaces respectively facing the battery cells adjacent thereto, wherein the insulating member may include a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet.

[0036] The battery module having the above structure may have desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation, fire resistance and flame retardancy or non-flammability, thereby reducing or inhibiting the propagation of heat and flame in a battery cell to a battery cell adjacent thereto due to thermal runaway of the battery cell. The insulating sheet may have desired, improved or advantageous compressibility, mechanical strength and dimensional stability, and may reduce or prevent the aerogel layer from falling off due to external impact, thereby improving processability and reducing or preventing contamination of instruments.

[0037] In example embodiments, the battery cell may be a secondary battery cell. The secondary battery cell may be, for example, a lithium secondary battery. The lithium secondary battery may be manufactured in various forms, such as a lithium ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, or a lithium metal battery. For example, the lithium secondary battery may have a structure in which a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode active material applied thereto and a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode active material applied thereto are provided so that a separator is inserted therebetween, and the lithium secondary battery may be housed in a battery housing together with an electrolyte in a sealed state to constitute a secondary battery cell. Depending on the shape of the battery housing, the secondary battery cell may be classified as a cylindrical secondary battery cell, a prismatic secondary battery cell, or a pouch-shaped secondary battery cell, and a plurality of secondary battery cells may be connected in series or in parallel to each other to constitute a battery module.

[0038] The secondary battery cell may require a high degree of stability, for example, when overcharged, a positive electrode active material or an electrolyte may undergo decomposition and other side reactions, whereby heat may be emitted from the secondary battery, causing explosion of the secondary battery cell.

[0039] In a battery module according to an example embodiment, an insulating member including a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet may be located between a plurality of battery cells, whereby the battery module may have desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation, fire resistance, and flame retardancy or non-flammability, and thus may reduce or inhibit the propagation of heat and flame in a battery cell to a battery cell adjacent thereto due to thermal runaway of the battery cell.

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery module having an insulating member between a plurality of battery cells according to an example embodiment.

[0041] refer to Figure 1 , a battery module 1000 according to an example embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells 100, and may include an insulating member 200 between the plurality of battery cells 100. The insulating member 200 may include a first insulating sheet 210, a second insulating sheet 220, and an expansion layer 230 between the first insulating sheet 210 and the second insulating sheet 220. Therefore, a battery module with increased safety may be provided by pre-impeding or blocking a flame in the event of thermal runaway of one battery cell to substantially suppress the propagation of the flame to other battery cells, and a secondary battery pack including the battery module may be further provided.

[0042] The insulating member may include an upper surface, a lower surface, and a boundary side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface. When the upper surface and the lower surface of the insulating member face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, the boundary side surface of the insulating member may include an upper side surface portion (also referred to as an upper side surface), a lower side surface portion (also referred to as a lower side surface), a front side surface portion, and a rear side surface portion.

[0043] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram showing that the expansion layer expands at a given temperature or higher and leaks from the upper and lower side surfaces of the insulating member.

[0044] refer to Figure 2 , a battery module 1000 according to an example embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells 100, and may include an insulating member 200 between the plurality of battery cells 100, wherein the insulating member 200 may include a first insulating sheet 210, a second insulating sheet 220, and an expansion layer 230 between the first insulating sheet 210 and the second insulating sheet 220. When the ambient temperature increases to a given temperature or higher due to thermal runaway, the expansion layer 230 may expand, and the plurality of battery cells 100 formed on the opposite side of the insulating member 200 may also expand, whereby the expansion layer 230 may leak from the upper and lower side surfaces of the insulating member 200 to form an outflow portion 231, which may fill a void area in the battery module 1000 to reduce or prevent flame propagation.

[0045] In example embodiments, each or one or more of the first and second insulating sheets may include a substrate and an aerogel layer on the substrate. The substrates of the first and second insulating sheets may face the battery cells adjacent thereto, and the aerogel layer may face the expansion layer.

[0046] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of an insulating member according to an example embodiment.

[0047] refer to Figure 3 , the first insulating sheet 210 may include a first substrate 211 and a first aerogel layer 212 formed on the first substrate 211. The second insulating sheet 220 may include a second substrate 221 and a second aerogel layer 222 formed on the second substrate 221. The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221 may be disposed to face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, and each of the first aerogel layer 212 and the second aerogel layer 222 may be disposed to face the expansion layer 230 therebetween to constitute the insulating member 200. When the insulating member having the above structure is included, the expansion layer may diffuse into the void area in the battery module, and may fill the void area in the event of thermal runaway, thereby reducing or preventing the flame from propagating to the void area.

[0048] Even if “first” or “second” is not described, the insulating sheet may refer to the first insulating sheet, the second insulating sheet, or both the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet, the substrate may refer to the first substrate, the second substrate, or both the first substrate and the second substrate, and the aerogel layer may refer to the first aerogel layer, the second aerogel layer, or both the first aerogel layer and the second aerogel layer.

[0049] Each or one or more of the substrates 211 of the first insulating sheet 210 and the substrates 221 of the second insulating sheet 220, i.e., the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 221, may be made of or include, but not limited to, at least one of resin, metal, and inorganic materials other than metal, or may be made of or include a composite thereof. The form of the substrate may be or include, but not limited to, a film, a membrane, a sheet, etc.

[0050] The resin may be or include, for example, at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide.

[0051] The metal may be or include, for example, at least one of copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, chromium, vanadium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, molybdenum, tungsten, iridium, silver, gold, and platinum. When a substrate made of or including the above metal is used, the substrate may be subjected to an anti-corrosion treatment or an insulation treatment as required.

[0052] The inorganic material other than the metal may be or include at least one of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), talc, and mica.

[0053] As an example, the substrate may include an inorganic material, and as another example, the substrate may include mica. In this case, thermal insulation, durability, etc. of the insulating sheet may be improved.

[0054] Each or one or more of the aerogel layers of the first and second insulating sheets, ie, the first and second aerogel layers, may include an aerogel, a fiber support, and a functional material including a binder, a dispersant, or a combination thereof.

[0055] Aerogels can have a diameter of about 500 m 2 / g~1,000m 2 The BET specific surface area of ​​the aerogel can be in the range of about 500 m / g. 2 / g~950m 2 / g, 550m 2 / g~950m 2 / g or 600m 2 / g~900m 2 Because the aerogel includes the BET specific surface area value within the above range, dispersion of aerogel particles can be reduced or prevented, and thermal insulation can be improved.

[0056] The particle size of the aerogel may be in the range of about 5 μm to 200 μm, 10 μm to 100 μm, or 20 μm to 60 μm. Since the aerogel having the particle size in the above range is included, thermal insulation may be improved, and thus heat transfer between a plurality of battery cells may be delayed.

[0057] The content of the aerogel may be in a range of about 10-90 wt%, 30-70 wt%, or 40-60 wt% based on the total amount of the aerogel layer. When the aerogel in the above range is included, thermal insulation of the insulation sheet may be desirable, improved, or advantageous.

[0058] Aerogel is a transparent or translucent advanced material with a nanoporous structure, exhibiting substantially low density and low thermal conductivity, and thus aerogel has great potential as an insulating material and is considered to be a highly efficient super insulating material that can be used in various industrial applications.

[0059] The obvious advantages of the aerogels of the example embodiments are that the aerogels have lower thermal conductivity than conventional organic insulating materials such as, for example, polystyrene foam, and the aerogels are able to address or overcome key weaknesses of organic insulating materials, such as fire vulnerability and generation of harmful gases when on fire. In various cases, aerogels can be substantially fragile, easily broken under slight impacts, and difficult to process into small thicknesses and shapes, which makes it challenging to manufacture insulating materials using aerogels alone despite the desired and advantageous thermal insulation. In example embodiments, a fibrous support and a functional material including a binder, a dispersant, or a combination thereof can be included to improve the durability of the aerogel layer and reduce or prevent the generation of dust during external impact or operation.

[0060] A fiber support may be included in the aerogel layer, thereby improving the durability of an insulating sheet formed using the fiber support.

[0061] The fiber support may include fibers used as a support made of or including common insulating materials. For example, the fiber support may be or include at least one of natural fibers, silica fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, mineral fibers, and polymer fibers. As an example, the fiber support may include, but is not limited to, glass fibers. As an example, the glass fibers may include, but are not limited to, glass wool.

[0062] The natural fiber may be or include, for example, at least one of hemp, jute, flax, coir, kenaf, and cellulose.

[0063] The mineral fiber may be or include, for example, at least one of basalt, quartzite, alumina, silica, slag, and rock.

[0064] The polymer fiber may be or include, for example, at least one of nylon, polyimide, polyamide, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polyamideimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). As an example, the polymer fiber may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of polyimide, polyamide and polybenzimidazole.

[0065] The fibrous support may be in the form of, for example, wool or chopped strands, but is not limited thereto.

[0066] The diameter of the fiber support may be, for example, in the range of about 0.1 μm to 20 μm, 0.1 μm to 15 μm, 0.1 μm to 5 μm, 1 μm to 15 μm, or 3 μm to 10 μm. By including fiber supports with diameters in the above ranges, the structure of the aerogel layer may be hardened and manufacturing costs may be reduced.

[0067] The fiber support may be contained in an amount ranging from about 5 wt% to 70 wt%, 25 wt% to 60 wt%, or 30 wt% to 50 wt% based on the total amount of the aerogel layer. When an insulating sheet is manufactured using the aerogel layer including the fiber support within the above range, durability may be improved.

[0068] The binder may include an aqueous polymer binder. For example, the aqueous polymer binder may be or include at least one of an aqueous polymer, an anionic water-soluble polymer, a cationic water-soluble polymer, and a water-dispersible polymer.

[0069] The waterborne polymer may be or include, for example, but not limited to, at least one of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

[0070] The anionic water-soluble polymer may be or include a polymer having at least one of the functional groups of carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, sulfate, phosphate and salts thereof. For example, the anionic water-soluble polymer may be or include a polymer having a carboxylic acid group, and may include but is not limited to polymaleic acid as an example.

[0071] The cationic water-soluble polymer may be or include a polymer having at least one of the functional groups of amine, ammonium, phosphonium, sulfonium and salts thereof. For example, the cationic water-soluble polymer may be or include a polymer having an amine group, and may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of polyvinylamine and polyamine as an example.

[0072] The water-dispersible polymer may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of a water-dispersible polyurethane and a water-dispersible polyester.

[0073] The binder may include an aqueous polymer and a water-dispersible polymer. For example, the binder may include an aqueous polymer having a bonding property and a dispersible property and a water-dispersible polymer having fire resistance. As an example, the binder may include polyvinyl alcohol and a water-dispersible polyurethane.

[0074] The weight ratio of the aqueous polymer to the water-dispersible polymer may be in the range of about 1:1 to 1:5, 1:1 to 1:4, or 1:2 to 1:3. When the weight ratio of the aqueous polymer to the water-dispersible polymer is within the above range, in addition to the thermal insulation, dust formation and compressibility of the insulation sheet, the fire resistance and mechanical properties of the insulation sheet may be further improved.

[0075] The binder may be contained in an amount of about 0.5 wt% to 20 wt%, 2 wt% to 15 wt%, or 8 wt% to 15 wt% based on the total amount of the aerogel layer. The insulating sheet including the aerogel layer containing the binder within the above range may have improved dusting properties.

[0076] The dispersant may be or include at least one of a surfactant, a silane coupling agent, and a phosphate salt. For example, the dispersant may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, a natural surfactant (such as lecithin), and a phosphate.

[0077] Further inclusion of a dispersant can further improve the dispersibility of the aerogel during the manufacturing process of the aerogel layer, resulting in uniform dispersion of the fiber support and the aerogel.

[0078] The content of the dispersant may be in the range of about 0.1 wt% to 6 wt%, 0.1 wt% to 5 wt%, or 0.1 wt% to 3 wt%, based on the total amount of the aerogel layer. When the dispersant in the above range is included, it is possible to manufacture the aerogel layer at a low cost and use the aerogel layer to manufacture an insulation sheet having desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation, uniformity, and dust formation.

[0079] In example embodiments, the binder and the dispersant may be included in a weight ratio in the range of about 1:0.001 to 1:0.67, 1:0.001 to 1:0.5, or 1:0.001 to 1:0.3. Mixing the binder and the dispersant in the weight ratio in the above range may result in a more uniform dispersion of the aerogel in the aerogel layer.

[0080] In example embodiments, the fiber support may range from about 25 wt % to 60 wt %, the aerogel may range from about 30 wt % to 70 wt %, and the binder may range from about 2 wt % to 15 wt % based on the total amount of the aerogel layer.

[0081] As an example, based on the total amount of the aerogel layer, the fiber support may be included in a range of about 30 wt% to 50 wt%, the aerogel may be included in a range of about 40 wt% to 60 wt%, and the binder may be included in a range of about 8 wt% to 15 wt%. When the aerogel layer is formed within the above range, desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation may be achieved while improving durability, and the bonding between the fiber support and the aerogel may be improved, thereby reducing or preventing dust generation.

[0082] In an example embodiment, based on the total amount of the aerogel layer, the fiber support may be included in a range of about 25wt% to 60wt%, the aerogel may be included in a range of about 30wt% to 70wt%, the binder may be included in a range of about 2wt% to 15wt%, and the dispersant may be included in a range of about 0.1wt% to 3wt%.

[0083] As an example, based on the total amount of the aerogel layer, the fiber support may be included in a range of about 30 wt% to 50 wt%, the aerogel may be included in a range of about 40 wt% to 60 wt%, the binder may be included in a range of about 5 wt% to 10 wt%, and the dispersant may be included in a range of about 0.1 wt% to 2 wt%. When the aerogel layer is formed within the above range, desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation may be achieved while improving durability, and the bonding between the fiber support and the aerogel may be improved, thereby reducing or preventing dust generation.

[0084] In an example embodiment, the expansion layer may be made of or include at least one of a foam material and a flame retardant material, the foam material foaming when the ambient temperature increases to a range of about 100°C to 200°C, and the flame retardant material having a melting point in the range of about 60°C to 100°C.

[0085] The foam material may not be particularly limited as long as the foam material foams and expands in volume when the ambient temperature increases to a range of about 100° C. to 200° C., 120° C. to 180° C., or 120° C. to 170° C. For example, the foam material may include a foaming agent including at least one of expanded graphite, an organic foaming agent, and an inorganic foaming agent. As an example, the organic foaming agent may be at least one of azodicarbonamide, N,N'-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, and 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), and the inorganic foaming agent may be at least one of a bicarbonate, a carbonate, and a salt of an organic acid.

[0086] The foam material may be mixed with the polymer material to form a coating solution. The polymer material may not be particularly limited as long as the polymer material can control the thickness of the expanded layer after expansion and the foam triggering temperature of the foam material. For example, the polymer material may be or include at least one of polyimide, polyamide, polybenzimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polyamideimide, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyester, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

[0087] When the ambient temperature increases, for example, to a range of about 100° C. to 200° C., 120° C. to 180° C., or 120° C. to 170° C., the coating solution including the foam material and the polymer material may foam and expand in volume.

[0088] The foam material and the polymer material may form a coating solution in a weight ratio ranging from about 1:9 to 5:5, 1:9 to 4:6, or 1:9 to 3:7.

[0089] The flame retardant material may not be particularly limited as long as the flame retardant material has a melting point in the range of about 60° C. to 100° C. or 80° C. to 100° C. For example, the flame retardant material may be or include at least one of polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and a polymer in which a flame retardant is dispersed. The flame retardant may include any type of flame retardant described below.

[0090] When the expansion layer is formed using a foam material and a flame retardant material, the expansion layer can leak upward and downward through the boundary side surface of the insulating member under given temperature conditions, such as leaking rapidly, thereby filling the void area in the battery module and reducing or preventing the spread of flames. "Upward" and "downward" herein may refer to the upward and downward directions based on the arrangement form of the insulating member.

[0091] The expansion layer may be formed to occupy a range of about 1% to 30%, 5% to 25%, or 10% to 17% based on the total thickness of the insulating member. By forming the expansion layer with a thickness within the above range, the spread of flame may be effectively reduced or prevented in the event of thermal runaway of one battery cell.

[0092] Under given temperature conditions, the expansion layer can expand and leak through the boundary side surface of the insulating member. The length of the outflow portion formed by the expansion layer leaking from the boundary side surface of the insulating member can be calculated by multiplying the thickness of the expansion layer before expansion (referred to as Figure 2 When the ambient temperature rises to a given temperature, the expansion layer can expand, and the length of the outflow portion after expansion can be about 5 to 30 times, 10 to 25 times, or 13 to 20 times the thickness of the expansion layer before expansion.

[0093] In addition to the space where the battery cell and the insulating member are located, the battery module may further include a void area therein, and the length of the outflow portion formed by the leakage of the expansion layer from the boundary side surface of the insulating member may be within the height of the void area (referred to as Figure 2 The length of the outflow portion may be at least two times, two to five times, or two to four times the height of the void area formed in the upper portion of the battery module. Therefore, when the insulating member is installed inside the battery module, since the length of the outflow portion is greater than the height of the space formed in the upper portion of the battery module, the outflow portion may be formed in a form that is spread out to cover not only the boundary side surface of the insulating member but also at least a portion of the adjacent battery cells in the space, such as Figure 2 as shown in .

[0094] In example embodiments, the battery module may include a void area other than the space where the battery cell and the insulating member are located, and may further include a coating configured to wrap a boundary side surface of the insulating member in the void area formed in the lower portion of the battery module, wherein the coating may include a flexible polymer. By forming the coating, the expansion layer between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet may substantially leak upward during thermal runaway, thereby effectively reducing or preventing upward movement of the flame.

[0095] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery module according to an example embodiment, the battery module including a coating layer configured to wrap a boundary side surface of an insulating member in a gap area formed in a lower portion of the battery module.

[0096] refer to Figure 4 , a battery module 1000 according to an example embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells 100, and may include an insulating member 200 between the plurality of battery cells 100. The insulating member 200 may include a first insulating sheet 210, a second insulating sheet 220, and an expansion layer 230 between the first insulating sheet 21 and the second insulating sheet 220. A coating 300 configured to wrap a side surface 201 of the insulating member 200 in a void area formed in a lower portion of the battery module 1000 may be included. Therefore, the expansion layer 230 may effectively leak upward during thermal runaway in one battery cell, thereby effectively reducing or blocking the upward movement of the flame, and hindering or inhibiting the spread of the flame to other battery cells.

[0097] The flexible polymer may not be particularly limited as long as the polymer is flexible. For example, the flexible polymer may be or include at least one of a fluorinated polymer, a polyurethane-based polymer, a polyolefin-based polymer, and a silicone-based polymer.

[0098] The fluorinated polymer may be or include, for example, at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fusible polytetrafluoroethylene (PFA), fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE). The fluorinated polymer may be or include a material that is flexible and flame retardant in nature.

[0099] The polyurethane polymer may not be particularly limited as long as the polyurethane polymer is a common polyurethane prepared by polymerization of a polyol and a polyisocyanate. The polyol may be or include, for example, a common polyol used in the manufacture of polyurethane, and may be or include at least one of a polyether polyol, a polyester polyol, a polyamide polyol, a polyamide ester polyol, a polythioether polyol, a polycarbonate polyol, a polyacetal polyol, a polyolefin polyol, a polysiloxane polyol, an acrylic polyol, and a silicone polyol. The polyisocyanate may include, for example, common polyisocyanates used in the manufacture of polyurethane, and may be or include at least one of toluene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 4,4-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4-di(aminocyclohexyl)methane hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate, 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate, and norbornane diisocyanate.

[0100] The polyolefin-based polymer may be or include, for example, at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, polypentene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polymethyl methacrylate.

[0101] The silicone-based polymer may be or include, for example, at least one of polydimethylsiloxane, polymethylethylsiloxane, polydiethylsiloxane, polymethylphenylsiloxane, polybiphenylsiloxane, and polyvinylphenylsiloxane.

[0102] The coating layer may further include a flame retardant. The type of the flame retardant is not particularly limited, and the flame retardant may be, for example, at least one of an inorganic flame retardant, a phosphorus flame retardant, a nitrogen compound flame retardant, a silicone flame retardant, a melamine flame retardant, and a halogen flame retardant.

[0103] The inorganic flame retardant may include metal oxides, metal hydroxides or combinations thereof. For example, the inorganic flame retardant may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of silicon oxide, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, antimony oxide, sodium carbonate, zinc oxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, zinc borate and calcium borate.

[0104] The phosphorus flame retardant may include a common phosphorus-containing flame retardant. For example, the phosphorus flame retardant may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of phosphate esters, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, phosphazenes and ammonium salts thereof.

[0105] The phosphorus-based flame retardant may include two or more hydroxyl groups at the end of the functional group. As an example, the phosphorus-based flame retardant may include ammonium polyphosphate having multifunctional hydroxyl groups. Using a phosphorus-based flame retardant having multifunctional hydroxyl groups may provide desired, improved or advantageous flame retardancy.

[0106] The nitrogen compound-based flame retardant may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of aliphatic amine compounds, aromatic amine compounds, nitrogen-containing bicyclic compounds, cyanide compounds, aliphatic amides, aromatic amides, urea, and thiourea.

[0107] Silicone flame retardants may include silicone resins, silicone oils, or combinations thereof. Silicone resins may include resins having a structure of RSiO, wherein R may indicate an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 to 10 (such as a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a propyl group), an aromatic group, or a substituent in which at least one of the hydrogens of the alkyl group and the aromatic group is substituted by a vinyl group. Silicone oil may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of polydimethylsiloxane and modified polydimethylsiloxane, wherein at least one methyl group of the side chain or the end of the modified polydimethylpolysiloxane is modified by at least one of hydrogen, an alkyl group (except a methyl group), a cyclohexyl group, a phenyl group, a benzyl group, an epoxy group, a polyether group, a carboxyl group, a mercapto group, a chloroalkyl group, an alkyl alcohol ester group, an alcohol group, an allyl group, a vinyl group, and a trifluoromethyl group.

[0108] The melamine-based flame retardant may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of melamine phosphate, di(melamine ester) phosphate, melamine pyrophosphate and melamine cyanurate.

[0109] Any halogen compound that can be used as a flame retardant can be used as the halogen flame retardant without limitation. For example, the halogen flame retardant can be, but is not limited to, at least one of decabromodiphenyl ether, decabromodiphenyl ethane, tetrabromobisphenol A, tetrabromobiphenyl A epoxy oligomer, octabromo-1,1,3-trimethyl-3-phenylaniline, ethylene bis-tetrabromophthalimide, tris(tribromophenol)triazine, and brominated polystyrene.

[0110] The content of the flame retardant may be in the range of about 1 wt% to 10 wt%, 2 wt% to 8 wt%, or 3 wt% to 6 wt% based on the total amount of the coating. By forming a coating including the flame retardant in the above range, dust generation from the aerogel may be reduced or prevented, and flame retardancy or non-flammability of the insulating member may be improved.

[0111] A method of manufacturing a battery module according to an example embodiment may include manufacturing an insulating member and disposing the insulating member between a plurality of battery cells such that an upper surface and a lower surface of the insulating member are disposed to face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, wherein the insulating member may include a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer formed between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet.

[0112] In example embodiments, manufacturing the insulation member may include manufacturing a first insulation sheet, manufacturing a second insulation sheet, and laminating an expansion layer between the first insulation sheet and the second insulation sheet.

[0113] Manufacturing the first insulating sheet may include forming a first substrate and applying an aerogel composition to the first substrate to form a first aerogel layer.

[0114] Manufacturing the second insulating sheet may include forming a second substrate and applying the aerogel composition to the second substrate to form a second aerogel layer.

[0115] The detailed description of each of the first substrate and the second substrate may be similar or the same as described above, and the size and shape of each substrate may be appropriately adjusted according to the structure of the battery cell.

[0116] The aerogel composition can be made by mixing a solvent with a functional material including a binder, a dispersant or a combination thereof to make a solvent mixture, mixing the solvent mixture with an aerogel to make an aerogel mixture, and mixing the aerogel mixture with a fiber support to make an aerogel composition. A first aerogel layer, a second aerogel layer, or a first aerogel and a second aerogel layer can be formed therefrom.

[0117] When the solvent is mixed with the functional material to produce a solvent mixture, the solvent may be mixed with the binder, or the solvent may be mixed with the binder and the dispersant.

[0118] The solvent may be or include at least one of a polar solvent and a non-polar solvent.

[0119] The polar solvent may be or include at least one of water and an alcohol solvent.

[0120] The water may be or include, for example, at least one of purified water and deionized water.

[0121] The alcohol solvent may be or include, but is not limited to, at least one of methanol, ethanol, propanol, pentanol, butanol, hexanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol and glycerol.

[0122] The non-polar solvent may include a hydrocarbon solvent. For example, the hydrocarbon solvent may be or include at least one of hexane, pentane, heptane, toluene and benzene, and may be, but is not limited to, an alkane solvent (such as hexane) or a mixture including an alkane solvent.

[0123] The solvent may include water. Using water as a solvent can effectively reduce raw material costs and post-processing costs. However, when water is used as a solvent, water may not easily mix with hydrophobic aerogels. In example embodiments, the aerogel can be uniformly dispersed by controlling the design of the mixing process, the mixing conditions, the addition of binders and dispersants, and the amounts of binders and dispersants. This substantially uniform dispersion of aerogel in the composition can ensure the formation of an aerogel layer with desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation, durability, and dust formation at a low thickness without using a large amount of binder.

[0124] The solvent may be included such that the weight ratio of the solvent to the total amount of solids in the aerogel composition is in the range of about 1:1 to 1:90. For example, the weight ratio of the solvent to the total amount of solids in the aerogel composition may be in the range of about 1:50 to 1:70, 1:20 to 1:30, or 1:2 to 1:10. By controlling the weight ratio of the solvent to the total amount of solids in the aerogel composition within the above range, dispersibility, coatability, and phase stability may be compatible.

[0125] The detailed descriptions of the binder and dispersant may be similar or the same as above.

[0126] When the solvent mixture is mixed with the aerogel to produce the aerogel mixture, the detailed description of the aerogel may be similar or the same as described above.

[0127] When the aerogel mixture is mixed with a fiber support to produce an aerogel composition, the detailed description of the fiber support may be similar or the same as described above.

[0128] In each or one or more of mixing the solvent with a functional material including a binder, a dispersant or a combination thereof to produce a solvent mixture, mixing the solvent mixture with an aerogel to produce an aerogel composition, and mixing the aerogel mixture with a fiber support to produce an aerogel composition, the mixing may be performed using a mixer. For example, the mixer may include, but is not limited to, a planetary mixer, a planetary Despa TM (PD) Mixer, Thinky TM Mixer and C-Mixer.

[0129] As an example, a planetary mixer can be used to mix the solvent mixture with the aerogel. Using a planetary mixer to mix the solvent mixture with the aerogel can allow the aerogel to be substantially uniformly dispersed in the solvent.

[0130] A planetary mixer may be a device that can be used to mix or stir different substances in order to produce a homogenous mixture. A planetary mixer may include blades that are capable of planetary motion.

[0131] In example embodiments, the planetary mixer may include at least one of one or more planetary blades and one or more high-speed dispersing blades. As an example, the planetary mixer may include at least one planetary blade and at least one high-speed dispersing blade.

[0132] Each or one or more of the planetary blades and the high-speed dispersion blades can be continuously rotated around its axis. The rotation speed can be expressed in revolutions per minute (rpm).

[0133] In an example embodiment, the planetary mixer may include a first blade and a second blade having different rotation axes. For example, the first blade may be a low-speed blade, and the second blade may be a high-speed blade. Low speed and high speed refer to the relative rotation speeds between the first blade and the second blade. As an example, the first blade may be an open blade, and the second blade may be a Despa TM blade.

[0134] The rotation speed of the first blade may be, for example, in the range of about 10 rpm to 100 rpm, 10 rpm to 60 rpm, or 30 rpm to 70 rpm. The rotation speed of the second blade may be, for example, in the range of about 100 rpm to 2000 rpm, 100 rpm to 1000 rpm, 300 rpm to 1700 rpm, or 500 rpm to 1700 rpm.

[0135] When the functional material is added to the solvent and mixed with the solvent, the rotation speed of the first blade may be in the range of about 10 rpm to 60 rpm, 20 rpm to 50 rpm, or 30 rpm to 40 rpm, and the rotation speed of the second blade may be in the range of about 300 rpm to 1700 rpm, 600 rpm to 1000 rpm, or 700 rpm to 800 rpm. As described above, when the solvent and the functional material are mixed with each other, a solvent mixture in which a binder, a dispersant, or a combination thereof is substantially uniformly dispersed can be produced to facilitate mixing of the aerogel in a subsequent process.

[0136] When the solvent mixture and the aerogel powder are mixed with each other, the rotation speed of the first blade of the mixer may be in the range of about 30 rpm to 70 rpm, 40 rpm to 70 rpm, or 60 rpm to 70 rpm, and the rotation speed of the second blade may be in the range of about 500 rpm to 1700 rpm, 600 rpm to 1600 rpm, or 800 rpm to 1500 rpm. As described above, when the aerogel powder is added to the solvent mixture and mixed with the solvent mixture, the aerogel powder can be hindered or prevented from aggregating together to induce uniform dispersion.

[0137] When the aerogel mixture and the fiber support are mixed with each other, the rotation speed of the first blade of the mixer may be in the range of about 10rpm to 60rpm, 20rpm to 50rpm, or 30rpm to 40rpm, and the rotation speed of the second blade may be in the range of about 300rpm to 1700rpm, 400rpm to 1500rpm, or 800rpm to 1200rpm. Mixing the aerogel mixture with the fiber support as described above can remove air bubbles in the composition, control viscosity, and facilitate the dispersion of the fiber support in the substantially uniformly dispersed aerogel, so that the aerogel surrounds the fiber support in the composition. A binder may be present between the aerogel and the fiber support to improve the bonding between the aerogel and the fiber support.

[0138] By forming an aerogel layer using the method according to example embodiments, thermal insulation and durability may be improved, and when an insulating member is manufactured or installed in a device, or when vibration occurs externally, aerogel may be hindered or prevented from falling off and generating dust.

[0139] In example embodiments, when the expansion layer is formed and laminated between the first and second insulation sheets, the first aerogel layer of the first insulation sheet and the second aerogel layer of the second insulation sheet may be located opposite to each other, and the expansion layer may be formed between the first and second aerogel layers.

[0140] The expansion layer may be formed using, for example, a coating method or a casting method, etc. The insulating member may be manufactured by forming the expansion layer on the first aerogel layer of the first insulating sheet, coating and laminating the second aerogel layer of the second insulating sheet on the expansion layer so that the second aerogel layer and the expansion layer face each other, and attaching or bonding the second aerogel layer and the expansion layer to each other.

[0141] In example embodiments, when the insulating member is disposed between the plurality of battery cells such that the upper and lower surfaces of the insulating member face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, the manner of disposing the plurality of battery cells is not particularly limited and the plurality of battery cells may be appropriately disposed according to the type of the battery cells.

[0142] The insulating member may be disposed between the plurality of battery cells. The first substrate and the second substrate of the insulating member may form an upper surface and a lower surface, respectively, and the upper surface and the lower surface may face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively.

[0143] Example embodiments may provide a battery pack including a battery module. A plurality of battery modules may be provided in the battery pack.

[0144] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described. However, the following embodiments are only intended to illustrate or describe the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art can fully infer technically the details not described herein, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0145] (Battery module manufacturing)

[0146] Example 1

[0147] 1. Manufacturing of insulating components

[0148] Polyvinyl alcohol (Sigma Aldrich) as a binder was added to deionized water as a solvent and the mixture was stirred at 30 rpm using an open blade and Despa TM The blades were mixed at 700 rpm to produce a solvent mixture. 2 / g of aerogel with a BET value of 1.574 g was added to the solvent mixture and the mixture was stirred at 70 rpm using an open blade and Despa TM The aerogel mixture was made by adding glass wool to the aerogel mixture and mixing with an open blade at 30 rpm and using Despa TM The blade was mixed at 1200 rpm to produce an aerogel composition. Mixing was performed using a planetary mixer (DNTEK, PT-005).

[0149] The solid content of the manufactured aerogel composition was found to be 50 wt% aerogel, 40 wt% glass wool and 10 wt% polyvinyl alcohol.

[0150] The slurry of the prepared aerogel composition was applied to a 0.3 mm thick mica sheet (Famica TM , Muscovite TM ) to manufacture an insulating sheet. Two insulating sheets are manufactured and used as a first insulating sheet and a second insulating sheet.

[0151] The insulating member was manufactured by placing the surfaces of the first and second insulating sheets coated with the aerogel composition to face each other and forming an expansion layer therebetween using a coating method of a pyrolyzable expandable coating aqueous solution (Lord, Sipiol FR220).

[0152] It was found that the total thickness of the manufactured insulating member was 3 mm, and the thickness of the expansion layer was 0.3 mm.

[0153] 2. Manufacturing of battery modules

[0154] A plurality of battery cells are disposed in a battery module, and an insulating member having an expansion layer is disposed between the plurality of battery cells.

[0155] Example 2

[0156] A battery module was manufactured using substantially the same method as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the expansion layer was 0.1 mm.

[0157] Example 3

[0158] A battery module was manufactured using substantially the same method as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the expansion layer was 0.5 mm.

[0159] Example 4

[0160] A battery module was manufactured using substantially the same method as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the expansion layer was 0.8 mm.

[0161] Example 5

[0162] A battery module was manufactured using substantially the same method as in Example 1, except that a foam coating solution including a foam material (UNICELL-5PT, Dongjin Semichem) and polyimide (PHOTONECE, Toray) mixed in a ratio of 2:8 was used.

[0163] Comparative Example 1

[0164] A battery module was manufactured using substantially the same method as in Example 1, except that no expansion layer was formed.

[0165] (Experimental Example)

[0166] Experimental Example 1: Evaluation of Thermal Insulation

[0167] The thermal insulation of each of the insulating members produced in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was evaluated.

[0168] Each insulating sheet was placed between a pair of opposing 1T thick aluminum plates and placed on a hot press. The upper plate of the hot press was heated to 350°C, and the lower plate of the hot press was not heated and maintained at a starting temperature of 40°C. Subsequently, a pressure of 20 kN was applied to the lower plate of the hot press, and the maximum temperature of the lower plate of the hot press was measured within 11 minutes. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0169] Experimental Example 2: Evaluation of compressibility

[0170] The compressibility of each of the insulating members manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was evaluated.

[0171] The ratio of the thickness when a load of 5 kN was applied using a universal testing machine (UTM) apparatus to the thickness when a load of 40 kN was applied using the UTM apparatus was measured. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0172] Experimental Example 3: Evaluation of expandability

[0173] 1. Expansion temperature

[0174] The expansion temperature of the expansion layer of each of the insulating members manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was measured. The heating plate was exposed at intervals of 50° C., and the temperature triggering bubbling was measured as the expansion temperature. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0175] 2. Length of outflow portion after expansion

[0176] The expansion performance of the expansion layer of each of the insulating members produced in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was evaluated.

[0177] In the UTM equipment, the temperature of the upper mold was set to 800°C, and a load of 1.3 MPa was applied to each insulating member for 1 minute to compress the insulating member. The expansion layer expanded and leaked out of the boundary side surface of the insulating member. The length of the outflow portion formed by the expansion layer leaking from the boundary side surface of the insulating member after compression and the thickness of the insulating member after compression were measured. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0178] Experimental Example 4: Evaluation of Heat Propagation

[0179] The flame spread of each of the battery modules manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1 was evaluated.

[0180] Heat propagation evaluations were conducted using a 50Ah prismatic (NCM 811 / graphite) 2-cell simple module device with a 1.5 mm gap between the top of each cell and the upper cover due to the upper cover being attached under nail penetration conditions. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0181] (Evaluation Criteria)

[0182] Yes: Fire occurred in battery cells other than the battery cell penetrated by the nail.

[0183] No: No fire occurred in any battery cell other than the battery cell penetrated by the nail.

[0184] "x" means that no measurement can be made because the leak is so small that almost no outflow area is formed.

[0185] [Table 1]

[0186]

[0187] Referring to Table 1 above, it can be seen that in Examples 1 and 3, thermal insulation, compressibility, and heat propagation prevention properties are desirable, improved, or advantageous. In Example 2, it can be seen that the expansion layer is formed thinly, and the amount of leakage is small, which causes some heat propagation. In Example 4, it can be seen that the expansion layer is formed thickly, and the thickness of the insulating member is reduced after leakage, which causes heat propagation due to reduced insulation performance. In Example 5, it can be seen that the expansion temperature of the internal expansion layer is high, and the amount of leakage is small, which causes some heat propagation.

[0188] In Comparative Example 1, no expansion layer was included, and so heat propagation was not prevented.

[0189] As apparent from the above description, a battery module according to example embodiments may reduce or suppress propagation of heat and flame in a battery cell to battery cells adjacent thereto due to thermal runaway of the battery cell.

[0190] The insulating sheet included in the battery module according to example embodiments may have desired, improved or advantageous thermal insulation, compressibility, mechanical strength and dimensional stability, thereby reducing or preventing the aerogel layer from falling off due to external impact to improve processability and reduce or prevent contamination of instruments.

[0191] Although the foregoing describes example embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it is contemplated that various modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, detailed description of example embodiments, and drawings, which also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: Multiple battery cells; and an insulating member between the plurality of battery cells, the insulating member having an upper surface and a lower surface facing the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, wherein The insulating member includes a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer formed between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet. 2 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of battery cells comprises a secondary battery cell. 3 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet comprises a substrate and an aerogel layer formed on the substrate.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein The substrates of the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet face the battery cells adjacent thereto, and The aerogel layer faces the expansion layer. 5 . The battery module according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the substrates of the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet comprises at least one of a resin, a metal, and an inorganic material other than the metal. 6 . The battery module of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the aerogel layers of the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet comprises an aerogel, a fiber support, and a functional material comprising at least one of a binder and a dispersant.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein the aerogel has a thickness of 500 m 2 / g~1,000m 2 / g in the range of BET specific surface area.

8. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the fiber support comprises at least one of natural fiber, silica fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, graphite fiber, mineral fiber and polymer fiber.

9. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the binder comprises an aqueous polymer binder. 10 . The battery module according to claim 6 , wherein the dispersant comprises at least one of a surfactant, a silane coupling agent and a phosphate ester salt.

11. The battery module of claim 6, wherein the aerogel is included at 10 wt% to 90 wt%, the fiber support is included at 5 wt% to 70 wt%, and the functional material is included at 0.5 wt% to 20 wt%, based on the total amount of the aerogel layer.

12. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the expansion layer comprises at least one of a foam material and a flame retardant material, the foam material being configured to foam when the ambient temperature increases to 100°C to 200°C, and the flame retardant material having a melting point of 60°C to 100°C.

13. The battery module according to claim 12, wherein The foam material comprises at least one of expanded graphite, an organic foaming agent and an inorganic foaming agent, The organic foaming agent comprises at least one of azodicarbonamide, N,N'-dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine and 4,4'-oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), and The inorganic foaming agent includes at least one of bicarbonate, carbonate and salt of an organic acid.

14. The battery module of claim 12, wherein the flame retardant material comprises at least one of polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and a polymer in which a flame retardant is dispersed. 15 . The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the expansion layer is 1% to 30% of a total thickness of the insulation member.

16. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: When the expansion layer expands, the expansion layer is configured to leak from a boundary side surface of the insulating member to form an outflow portion, and The length of the outflow portion from the boundary side surface of the insulating member is 500% to 3000% of the thickness of the expansion layer.

17. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein The battery module includes a void area except for the space where the battery cells and the insulating member are located. The battery module further includes a coating layer configured to wrap a side surface of the insulating member in the void area formed in a lower portion of the battery module, and The coating includes a flexible polymer. 18 . The battery module of claim 17 , wherein the flexible polymer comprises at least one of a fluorinated polymer, a polyurethane-based polymer, a polyolefin-based polymer, and a silicone-based polymer.

19. A method for manufacturing a battery module, the method comprising: Manufacturing of insulating components; and The insulating member is disposed between a plurality of battery cells so that the upper surface and the lower surface of the insulating member are disposed to face the battery cells adjacent thereto, respectively, wherein The insulating member includes a first insulating sheet, a second insulating sheet, and an expansion layer formed between the first insulating sheet and the second insulating sheet.

20. A battery pack comprising the battery module according to any one of claims 1 to 18 or the battery module manufactured by the method according to claim 19.

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