Thermal barrier with encapsulated isolation material layer and method

Abstract

A thermal barrier and related methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a thermal barrier includes a porous material. One aspect of a thermal barrier includes an aerogel material. Aspects of thermal barrier are exhibited that include a conformal coating over an outer porous surface of a barrier material layer, where the conformal coating permeates the outer porous surface of the barrier material layer to a penetration depth.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 530,637, filed August 3, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates in general to materials, systems, and methods for preventing or mitigating thermal events, such as thermal runaway, in energy storage systems. In particular, this disclosure provides thermal barrier materials. This disclosure further relates to battery modules or battery packs having one or more batteries comprising said thermal barrier materials, and systems comprising such battery modules or battery packs. Aspects typically described may include aerogel materials. Background Technology

[0004] Battery packs (such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)) are widely used to power portable electronic devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops), power tools, and other high-current devices (such as electric vehicles) due to their higher operating voltage, lower memory effect, and higher energy density compared to conventional batteries. However, safety is an issue because LIBs are prone to catastrophic failures under “abuse conditions,” such as when rechargeable batteries are overcharged (charged beyond their design voltage), over-discharged, or operated or exposed to high temperatures or high pressures.

[0005] To prevent cascaded thermal runaway events, effective insulation and heat dissipation strategies are needed to address these technical challenges and other issues faced by battery packs. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The features of embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals correspond to similar (though possibly not identical) components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals or features having previously described functions may or may not be described in other drawings in which they appear.

[0007] Figure 1A It is a perspective view of the battery module based on some aspects.

[0008] Figure 1B This is a schematic cross-sectional view of another battery module based on some aspects.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the enhanced network based on some aspects.

[0010] Figure 3 It is a schematic and perspective view based on some aspects of the isolation material layer.

[0011] Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams and perspective views of instances of thermal barriers, demonstrating... Figure 3 An enlarged view of the area of ​​the insulating material layer coated with a conformal coating.

[0012] Figure 5 It is based on schematic diagrams and perspective views of thermal barriers from certain aspects.

[0013] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram of exposed fibers in an uncoated insulating material layer, based on some aspects.

[0014] Figure 6B It is based on some aspects Figure 6A A schematic diagram of exposed fibers after being coated with a conformal coating.

[0015] Figure 7A It is a schematic and perspective view of an uncoated insulating material with pores in the insulating material, based on some aspects.

[0016] Figure 7B It is based on some aspects Figure 7A A schematic and perspective view of the insulating material after it has been coated with a conformal coating.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for adjusting a battery module based on certain aspects.

[0018] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram based on some aspects of electronic equipment.

[0019] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of an electric vehicle based on some aspects.

[0020] Figure 11 The figure depicts the difference (y-axis, mW / mK) between the thermal conductivity (Tc) of the coated insulating material layer and the Tc of the same insulating material layer before coating, compared to the average thermal conductivity (Tc) of the coated insulating material layer and the same insulating material layer before coating (x-axis, mW / mK).

[0021] Figure 12 The graph depicts the heat of combustion (HoC) of the insulating material layer (y-axis, cal / g) as a percentage of the pyrene coating on it (x-axis, %).

[0022] Figure 13 The figure depicts the heat of combustion (HoC) of the insulating material layer (y-axis, cal / g) compared to the type of pyrene coating on it (x-axis).

[0023] Figure 14The figure depicts the mass loss (y-axis, weight %) of the uncoated, coated Parylene-C and Parylene-N isolation material layers (x-axis) during thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) testing.

[0024] Figure 15 The figure depicts the heat release (y-axis, J / g) of the uncoated, phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N insulating material layers (x-axis) during differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis.

[0025] Figure 16 The figure depicts the initial temperatures (y-axis, °C) of the uncoated, coated (penetrating C and penetrating N) isolation material layers during DSC analysis.

[0026] Figure 17 The figure depicts the peak temperatures (y-axis, °C) of the uncoated, coated (penetrating C and penetrating N) isolation material layers during DSC analysis.

[0027] Figure 18 The bar chart illustrates the dimensional shrinkage (left y-axis, %) and coating weight (right y-axis, weight %) of the uncoated, coated Parylene-C and Parylene-N isolation material layers (x-axis) after hot surface testing.

[0028] Figure 19 The figure depicts the strain (y-axis, %) of uncoated, coated Parylene-C and Parylene-N isolation material layers at 1 mPa compared to the coating weight (x-axis).

[0029] Figure 20 The figure illustrates that, with the increase of the amount of Piriton coating, the density of the coated release material layer increases after coating (y-axis, g / cm). 3 ).

[0030] Figure 21 The figure depicts the strain (y-axis, %) of uncoated, phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N coated isolation material layers at 1 mPa versus the density (x-axis, g / cm³) measured at 0.2 PSI pressure. 3 The correlation between them.

[0031] Figure 22 The figure depicts the compressive deformation (y-axis, %) of the uncoated and coated layers of isolation material (x-axis) with Piriton-C and Piriton-N coatings.

[0032] Figure 23 The figure depicts the compressive deformation (y-axis, %) of the uncoated and coated layers of isolation material (x-axis) with Piriton-C and Piriton-N coatings.

[0033] Figure 24The figure depicts the dust content (y-axis, mg / m³) of uncoated, coated (penetrating C and penetrating N) isolation material layers (x-axis). 3 ). Detailed Implementation

[0034] The following description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate the specific aspects to enable those skilled in the art to implement them. Other aspects may include structural, logical, electrical, process, and other modifications. Parts and features of some aspects may be incorporated into or replace corresponding contents of other aspects. The aspects set forth in the claims cover all available equivalents of these claims.

[0035] This disclosure relates to a thermal barrier between cells in a battery pack for thermal and mechanical performance management. The thermal barrier includes a conformally coated insulating material layer. The insulating material layer comprises a porous insulating material deposited within the pores of a reinforcing network. Without the conformal coating, the porous insulating material may detach from the pores of the reinforcing network (also referred to as the reinforcing network layer) during processing. The conformal coating conforms to and connects with the profiles of the porous insulating material and exposed fibers, foams, or other materials of the reinforcing network, thereby reducing or eliminating such detachment and extending the lifespan of the thermal barrier. Furthermore, the conformal coating reduces or eliminates dust and / or debris that may be generated by the porous insulating material during processing. The conformal coating also enhances the mechanical properties of the insulating material layer and reduces liquid absorption. The conformal coating is also referred to as encapsulation. The insulating material layer is also referred to as a thermal barrier layer. The conformally coated insulating material layer is also referred to as an encapsulated thermal barrier.

[0036] In addition to the insulating material layer, the thermal barrier may further comprise a thermally conductive material and / or an elastic material as described below. The thermal barrier can be used to separate individual cells or battery packs within a battery module in a battery device. In this disclosure, multiple cells coupled together are referred to as a battery module. However, the described apparatus and methods can be used in various types of multi-cell arrangements, which may be referred to as battery packs, battery systems, etc.

[0037] Insulation material layer

[0038] The insulating material layer comprises a porous insulating material. The porous insulating material described below can be fabricated as a single heat-resistant layer or used in combination with other layers providing additional functions such as mechanical strength, compressibility, heat dissipation / conduction, etc. The insulating material layer described herein is responsible for reliably containing and controlling the heat flow of heat-generating components within a small space, providing safety and preventing the spread of heat or flame in such products in the electronics, industrial, and automotive technology fields.

[0039] In many aspects of this disclosure, the insulating material layer itself serves as an insulating / flame-retardant / fireproof layer or is combined with other materials that enhance heat flow containment and control. In one aspect, the insulating material layer itself may be heat-resistant, flame-resistant, and / or hot gas-resistant, and further comprises entrained particulate materials that alter or enhance heat containment and control.

[0040] The insulating material layer may comprise or consist essentially of any kind of insulating material commonly used to separate batteries or battery modules. Exemplary insulating materials include polymer-based insulating materials (e.g., polypropylene, polyester, polyimide, and aromatic polyamide (aramid)), phase change materials, expandable materials, aerogel materials, mineral-based barrier materials (e.g., mica), inorganic insulating materials (e.g., glass fiber-containing barrier layers), other insulating materials, and combinations thereof.

[0041] One aspect of highly efficient insulating material layers includes aerogels. Aerogels describe a class of materials based on their structure, namely low density, open-pore structure, and large surface area (e.g., 900 m²). 2 Materials with a pore size of / g or higher and nanoscale pores. The pores can be filled with a gas, such as air. Aerogels can be distinguished from other porous materials by their physical and structural properties. While aerogel materials are exemplary porous insulating materials, other porous insulating materials can also be used in thermal barriers.

[0042] The formation and properties of aerogels are selected. In several aspects, the precursor material is gelled to form a network of pores filled with solvent. The solvent is then extracted, leaving a porous matrix. In one aspect, the solvent is extracted by supercritical drying. In supercritical drying, an insulating material (e.g., aerogel) is subjected to suitable pressure and temperature to achieve supercritical conditions for the solvent. Under supercritical conditions, the solvent can be extracted without damaging the porous matrix due to the reduction in surface tension and capillary stress.

[0043] A variety of different aerogel compositions are known, which can be inorganic aerogels, organic aerogels, and inorganic / organic hybrid aerogels. Inorganic aerogels are typically based on metal alkoxides and include materials such as silica, zirconium oxide, alumina, and other oxides. Organic aerogels include, for example, urethane aerogels, resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels, and polyimide aerogels, other organic aerogels, and combinations thereof.

[0044] Inorganic aerogels can be formed from metal oxides or metal alkoxides. These metal oxides or alkoxides can be based on oxides or alkoxides of any metal or half-metal capable of forming oxides. Such metals or half-metals include silicon, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, yttrium, vanadium, cerium, etc. Inorganic silica aerogels are prepared by the hydrolysis and condensation of silica-based alkoxides (such as tetraethoxysilanes) or by the gelation of silicic acid or water glass. Other relevant inorganic precursor materials for the synthesis of silica-based aerogels include, for example: metal silicates such as sodium silicate or potassium silicate, alkoxysilanes, partially hydrolyzed alkoxysilanes, tetraethoxysilanes (TEOS), partially hydrolyzed TEOS, condensates of TEOS, tetramethoxysilanes (TMOS), partially hydrolyzed TMOS, condensates of TMOS, tetra-n-propoxysilanes, partially hydrolyzed tetra-n-propoxysilanes and / or condensates of tetra-n-propoxysilanes, polyethylsilicates, partially hydrolyzed polyethylsilicates, monomeric alkylalkoxysilanes, bis-trialkoxyalkyl or arylsilanes, polyhedral silsesquioxanes, or combinations thereof.

[0045] In certain aspects of this disclosure, pre-hydrolyzed TEOS (e.g., Silbond™ H-5 (SBH5, Silco Inc.), which is hydrolyzed by water / silica in a ratio of about 1.9-2) may be used, either as a commercially available product or further hydrolyzed prior to inclusion in the gelation process. Partially hydrolyzed TEOS or TMOS (e.g., polyethyl silicate (Sil-bond™ 40) or polymethyl silicate) may also be used commercially available or further hydrolyzed prior to inclusion in the gelation process.

[0046] Inorganic aerogels may also contain gel precursors with at least one hydrophobic group, such as alkyl metal alkoxides, cycloalkyl metal alkoxides, and aryl metal alkoxides. These precursors can impart or improve certain properties of the gel, such as stability and hydrophobicity. Inorganic silica aerogels may specifically contain hydrophobic precursors such as alkylsilanes or arylsilanes. Hydrophobic gel precursors can be used as primary precursor materials to form the backbone of the gel material. However, in the formation of amalgam aerogels, hydrophobic gel precursors are more often used as co-precursors in combination with simple metal alkoxides. Hydrophobic inorganic precursor materials for the synthesis of silica-based aerogels include, for example, trimethylmethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS), methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), trimethylethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDS), methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), ethyltriethoxysilane (ETES), diethyldiethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDES), ethyltriethoxysilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, propyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES), hexamethyldisilazane, and hexaethyldisilazane, etc. Any derivative of any of the above precursors can be used. Additionally, certain polymers or other chemical groups may be added to or crosslinked to one or more of the above precursors.

[0047] Organic aerogels are typically formed from carbon-based polymer precursors. Such polymeric materials include, for example: resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF), polyimide, polyacrylate, polymethyl methacrylate, acrylate oligomers, polyoxyalkylene, polyurethane, polyphenol, polybutadiene, trialkoxysilyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, polyfurfural, melamine-formaldehyde, cresol-formaldehyde, phenol-furfural, polyether, polyol, polyisocyanate, polyhydroxybenzene, polyvinyl alcohol dialdehyde, polycyanurate, polyacrylamide, various epoxy resins, agar, agarose, chitosan, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, organic RF aerogels are prepared under alkaline conditions by a sol-gel polymerization reaction of resorcinol or melamine with formaldehyde.

[0048] Organic / inorganic hybrid aerogels are primarily composed of organically modified silica ("ormosil") aerogels. These ormosil materials include organic components covalently bonded to a silica network. Ormosil is typically formed through the hydrolysis and condensation of organically modified silanes (R--Si(OX)3) with conventional alkoxide precursors (Y(OX)4). In these formulas, X can represent, for example, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C4H9; Y can represent, for example, Si, Ti, Zr, or Al; and R can be any organic segment, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl, methacrylate, acrylate, vinyl, epoxide, etc. The organic components in the ormosil aerogel may also be dispersed throughout the silica network or chemically bonded to it.

[0049] Aerogels can be formed from flexible gel precursors. Various flexible layers (including flexible fiber-reinforced aerogels) can be readily combined and shaped to obtain preforms that, when mechanically compressed along one or more axes, can produce compressively strong bodies along any of those axes.

[0050] One method of aerogel formation involves batch casting. Batch casting involves catalyzing the entire volume of sol to simultaneously induce gelation throughout the volume. Gel formation techniques involve adjusting the pH and / or temperature of a diluted metal oxide sol to the point where gelation occurs. Suitable materials for forming inorganic aerogels include oxides of most metals or half-metals that can form oxides, such as oxides of silicon, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, yttrium, vanadium, etc. Gels formed primarily from alcohol solutions of hydrolyzed silicates may be an ideal choice due to their availability and low cost (alcohol gels). Organic aerogels can also be prepared from melamine-formaldehyde, resorcinol-formaldehyde, etc.

[0051] In one respect, the aerogel material can be monolithic or continuous throughout the structure or layers. In other respects, the aerogel material can include a composite aerogel material in which aerogel particles are mixed with a binder or carrier. Other additives may be included in the composite aerogel material. Suitable examples of additives include surfactants that help disperse the aerogel particles within the binder or carrier. The composite aerogel slurry can be applied to a support plate (e.g., a mesh, felt, etc.) and then dried to form the composite aerogel structure.

[0052] As described above, aerogels can be organic, inorganic, or mixtures thereof. In some aspects, aerogels comprise silica-based aerogels. One or more layers in the thermal barrier may contain reinforcing materials. The reinforcing materials can be any material that provides resilience, shape retention, or structural stability to the aerogel material. Aspects of reinforcing materials include, for example, open-cell macroporous framework reinforcing materials, closed-cell macroporous framework reinforcing materials, open-cell membranes, honeycomb reinforcing materials, polymer reinforcing materials, and fiber reinforcing materials, such as discrete fibers, woven materials, nonwoven materials, needle-punched nonwoven materials, wadding, mesh, mats, and felt.

[0053] The reinforcing material may be selected from the group consisting of: organic polymer-based fibers, inorganic fibers, carbon-based fibers, or combinations thereof. Inorganic fibers are selected from glass fibers, rock fibers, metal fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, basalt fibers, pre-oxidized fibers, pre-oxidized polyacrylonitrile, foams, rubber, resins, polymers, or combinations thereof. In some aspects, the fibers are in the form of discrete fibers, woven materials, dry nonwoven materials, wet nonwoven materials, air-laid nonwoven materials, needle-punched nonwoven materials, wadding, nets, mats, felts, and / or combinations thereof. In some aspects, the reinforcing material may include a reinforcement having multiple material layers.

[0054] thermal conductive layer

[0055] In addition to the insulating material layer, the thermal barrier may further include a thermally conductive material layer (also known as a thermally conductive layer or thermally conductive material layer). The combination of the thermally conductive material layer and the insulating material layer effectively directs excess heat to desired external locations. Thermal connectivity between the thermally conductive layer and heat dissipation components within the battery system allows excess heat from the battery or adjacent insulating material layers to be transferred to the heat sink for removal. Removing excess heat reduces the impact, severity, or propagation of thermal events that could generate excessive heat. Besides heat removal, the thermally conductive layer can diffuse or dissipate heat from areas of high heat concentration to a wider area of ​​lower heat concentration, thereby reducing the likelihood of localized overheating and subsequent thermal runaway. In one aspect, the thermally conductive layer helps dissipate heat from localized thermal loads within the battery module or battery pack.

[0056] High thermal conductivity materials include carbon fibers, graphite, silicon carbide, metals or alloys thereof (e.g., copper, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.) and combinations thereof.

[0057] To further disperse or remove unwanted heat, the thermally conductive layer is coupled to an external heat sink, heat sink housing, or other external structure to dissipate excess heat into the ambient air. In at least one aspect, the thermally conductive layer is coupled to a heat sink. It should be understood that there are various types and constructions of heat sinks, as well as different techniques for coupling heat sinks to the thermally conductive layer, and this disclosure is not limited to using any single type of heat sink / coupling technique. In one aspect, at least one thermally conductive layer of the multilayer material disclosed herein may be in thermal communication with components of the cooling system of the battery module or battery pack, such as cooling plates or cooling channels of the cooling system. In another aspect, at least one thermally conductive layer may be in thermal communication with other components of the battery pack, battery module, or battery system that can function as a heat sink, such as walls of the battery pack, battery module, or battery system, or with other multilayer materials disposed between battery cells.

[0058] Elastic material layer

[0059] In addition to the insulating material layer and the thermally conductive layer, the thermal barrier may further comprise one or more elastic material layers. In one aspect, the elastic layer absorbs any volumetric expansion of one or more batteries during normal operation. For example, the battery may expand during charging and contract during discharging. In another aspect, the elastic material layer may also absorb permanent volumetric expansion caused by any battery aging, degradation, and / or thermal runaway. The elastic material layer may include, for example, foam, fibers, fabrics, sponges, spring structures, rubber, polymers, resins, etc.

[0060] Characteristic description of thermal barrier / insulation material layer

[0061] In the context of this disclosure, the terms "thermal conductivity" and "TC" refer to a measurement of the ability of a material or composition to transfer heat between two surfaces on either side of it, where a temperature difference exists. Thermal conductivity is specifically measured as the amount of heat transferred per unit time and per unit surface area divided by the temperature difference. It is typically recorded in the International System of Units (SI) as mW / m*K (milliwatts per meter*Kelvin). The thermal conductivity of a material can be determined by methods known in the art, including: test methods for determining steady-state heat transfer properties using the heat flow meter method (ASTM C518, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); test methods for measuring steady-state heat flux and heat transfer properties using a protective hot plate apparatus (ASTM C177, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); test methods for determining the steady-state heat transfer properties of pipe insulation (ASTM C335, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); test methods for the thermal conductivity of thin heaters (ASTM C1114, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); determination of the thermal resistance of materials using the protective hot plate method and the heat flow meter method (EN 12667, British Standards Institution, United Kingdom); or determination of steady-state thermal resistance and related properties—the protective hot plate method (ISO 8203, International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland). In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, thermal conductivity measurements are performed according to ASTM C177 at a temperature of approximately 37.5°C, atmospheric pressure, and a compression condition of approximately 2 psi. Preferably, the aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier of this disclosure has a thermal conductivity of approximately 50 mW / mK or less, approximately 40 mW / mK or less, approximately 30 mW / mK or less, approximately 25 mW / mK or less, approximately 20 mW / mK or less, approximately 18 mW / mK or less, approximately 16 mW / mK or less, approximately 14 mW / mK or less, approximately 12 mW / mK or less, approximately 10 mW / mK or less, approximately 5 mW / mK or less, or within the range of any two of these values.

[0062] In the context of this disclosure, the term "density" refers to a measurement of the mass per unit volume of an aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier. In one instance, the term "density" refers to the true density of the aerogel material and the bulk density of the aerogel composition. Density is typically recorded as kg / m³. 3 g / cm 3Or g / cc. The density of an aerogel material or composition, or the density of a thermal barrier, can be determined by methods known in the art, including: standard test methods for the size and density of precast block and plate-type insulation materials (ASTM C303, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); standard test methods for the thickness and density of blanket or flocculent insulation materials (ASTM C167, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA); or determination of the apparent density of precast pipe insulation materials (ISO 18098, International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland). In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, density measurements are obtained according to ASTM C167. Preferably, the aerogel material or composition, or thermal barrier of this disclosure, has a density of about 0.60 g / cc or less, about 0.50 g / cc or less, about 0.40 g / cc or less, about 0.30 g / cc or less, about 0.25 g / cc or less, about 0.20 g / cc or less, about 0.18 g / cc or less, about 0.16 g / cc or less, about 0.14 g / cc or less, about 0.12 g / cc or less, about 0.10 g / cc or less, about 0.05 g / cc or less, about 0.01 g / cc or less, or within any two of these values.

[0063] In the context of this disclosure, the density of the uncoated or conformally coated insulating layer (i.e., the thermal barrier) is calculated by dividing the mass of the uncoated or conformally coated insulating layer by the nominal volume. The nominal volume is calculated by multiplying the standard surface area by the individual thickness value of the uncoated or conformally coated insulating layer. The individual thickness value of the insulating layer is measured using a handheld caliper. The standard surface area is used to cut the uncoated insulating layer for conformal coating experiments. The standard surface area is used instead of the individual surface area because the difference between the individual surface area and the standard surface area is extremely small and negligible.

[0064] In the context of this disclosure, the terms "heat of combustion" and "HoC" refer to a measurement of the heat energy released during the combustion of an aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier. Heat of combustion is typically recorded in calories (cal / g) of heat energy released per gram of aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier, or in megajoules (MJ / kg) of heat energy released per kilogram of aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier. The heat of combustion of a material or composition can be determined by methods known in the art, including: determination of the total heat of combustion (calorific value) of a product ignition test reaction (ISO 1716, International Organization for Standardization, Switzerland). In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, heat of combustion measurements are obtained under conditions equivalent to ISO 1716. In one aspect, HoC is determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. The heat of combustion measured in a bomb calorimeter represents the heat released by the combustion of all carbon and hydrogen with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water, including the heat released by the oxidation of other elements such as sulfur. The sample (e.g., an aerogel composition) is pulverized using a rotary oscillating mill until the pulverized sample is smaller than 60 mesh. The pulverized sample is then pressed into sheets for HoC testing.

[0065] Preferably, the aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier of this disclosure may have a heat of combustion of about 750 cal / g or less, about 717 cal / g or less, about 700 cal / g or less, about 650 cal / g or less, about 600 cal / g or less, about 575 cal / g or less, about 550 cal / g or less, about 500 cal / g or less, about 450 cal / g or less, about 400 cal / g or less, about 350 cal / g or less, about 300 cal / g or less, about 250 cal / g or less, about 200 cal / g or less, about 150 cal / g or less, about 100 cal / g or less, about 50 cal / g or less, about 25 cal / g or less, about 10 cal / g or less, or within the range of any two of these values. An aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier has an improved heat of combustion compared to another aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier, and will have a lower heat of combustion value than a reference aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier.

[0066] In the context of this disclosure, the terms "thermal decomposition initiation point of hydrophobic organic materials", "thermal decomposition initiation point", "initiation temperature" and "T" are used interchangeably. dThe thermal decomposition onset point refers to the measurement of the lowest temperature at which a rapid exothermic reaction due to the decomposition of hydrophobic organic materials begins to occur in the material or composition. The thermal decomposition onset point of a material or composition can be determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA curve of a material shows the mass loss (% mass) of the material as the ambient temperature increases. The thermal decomposition onset point of a material can be associated with the intersection of two tangent lines on the TGA curve: one tangent to the baseline of the TGA curve, and the other tangent to the TGA curve at the point of maximum slope during the rapid decomposition event associated with the decomposition of the hydrophobic organic material. In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, measurements of the thermal decomposition onset point of hydrophobic organic materials are obtained using the TGA analytical methods described in this paragraph.

[0067] The thermal decomposition onset point of the material can also be determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC curve of the material depicts the heat energy (mW / mg) released by the material as the ambient temperature gradually increases. The thermal decomposition onset temperature of the material can be correlated with the point in the DSC curve where the ΔmW / mg (change in heat output) increases the most, indicating that the aerogel material is exothermic. In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, when measuring the thermal decomposition onset temperature using DSC, a heating rate of 20 °C / min or lower and a temperature scan range from ambient temperature to 1000 °C are used.

[0068] Preferably, the aerogel material or composition of this disclosure has a thermal decomposition initiation point of about 100°C or higher, about 150°C or higher, about 200°C or higher, about 250°C or higher, about 300°C or higher, about 350°C or higher, about 400°C or higher, about 450°C or higher, about 500°C or higher, about 550°C or higher, about 600°C or higher, about 650°C or higher, about 700°C or higher, about 750°C or higher, about 800°C or higher, or within a range of any two of these values. One aerogel material or composition has an improved thermal decomposition initiation point relative to another aerogel material or composition, and will have a higher thermal decomposition initiation temperature relative to a reference aerogel material or composition.

[0069] In the context of this disclosure, the term "compressive deformation" is a measure of the permanent deformation remaining in a material after the removal of an applied force. In this disclosure, compressive deformation is determined using ASTM D3574 – Test D. Compressive deformation is determined as a percentage change in the thickness (tks) of the material before and after the application of a predetermined force. In one example of ASTM D3574 – Test D, compressive deformation can be determined using the following formula:

[0070] C t = [(T o – T f) / (T o -Ts)] × 100

[0071] Where C t It is compressive deformation; T o T is the original thickness of the material; Ts is the thickness of the shim or spacer used to set the compression stop point during the compression test. f It is the final thickness of the material after the applied force is removed. For example, if a 2 mm sample is compressed to 50% strain, then T... s It is 1 mm. In the context of this disclosure, the term "shrinkage rate" is a measurement of the permanent deformation remaining in the material after a hot surface test. The shrinkage rates of length, width, and thickness are the differences in length, width, and thickness values ​​before and after exposure to the hot surface test, respectively. The hot surface test is a simulation of a battery pack thermal runaway test. In a thermal runaway test, one battery in the battery pack is triggered to overheat to examine its impact on adjacent batteries. A thermal barrier is placed between the triggered battery and the adjacent battery to mitigate heat transfer between them. In the hot surface test, a thermal barrier is placed on the hot surface of a battery that is experiencing thermal runaway in a simulated thermal runaway test. The length, width, and thickness of the thermal barrier are measured before and after exposure to the hot surface to measure the shrinkage rates of its length, width, and thickness, respectively. The hot surface may be the hot wall of an oven. During the hot surface test, the hot surface temperature is rapidly increased to about 950°C or higher at a rate of about 35°C / min or faster. In a typical hot surface test, the temperature of the insulating material layer on the opposite side of the hot surface is about 930°C. + 10℃.

[0072] Preferably, the aerogel material or composition, or thermal barrier of this disclosure, has a length shrinkage rate of about 1% to about 7%, 2% to about 6%, 2% to about 5%, or within any two of these values. The aerogel material or composition, or thermal barrier of this disclosure has a width shrinkage rate of about 1% to about 5%, about 2% to about 5%, about 2% to about 4%, or within any two of these values. The aerogel material or composition, or thermal barrier of this disclosure has a width shrinkage rate of about 0.1% to about 15%, about 4% to about 12%, about 4% to about 10%, or within any two of these values. As shown in at least some of the embodiments described herein, the insulation layer with a conformal coating has a smaller thickness reduction compared to an uncoated insulation layer.

[0073] In the context of this disclosure, the term "strain" refers to the deformation of an aerogel material or composition, or a thermal barrier, due to compression. The aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier is compressed at a constant rate (beam speed 0.5 mm / min) until a stress of 1 MPa is reached. The aerogel material or composition or thermal barrier is then relaxed at the same beam speed, without being held under high pressure. Strain is measured as a percentage (%), while stress is measured in pressure units (e.g., psi or MPa). For example, when a 2 mm thick sample is compressed to 1 mm under a force of 1 MPa, the achieved strain rate is 50%. Highly flexible aerogel materials or composites or thermal barriers exhibit higher strain rates at the same stress level (i.e., extremely rigid samples resist applied stress better with less deformation / deflection). Pyrelin is added to reduce the strain of the aerogel material or composite. In other words, a conformally coated aerogel material or composite is harder than its uncoated counterpart.

[0074] In the context of this disclosure, the terms "dust" and "debris" refer to loose insulating material that has detached from the reinforcing network. The porous insulating material can be an aerogel powder, such as silica aerogel powder, organic aerogel powder, other aerogel powders, or combinations thereof. The reinforcing network (also referred to as the reinforcing network layer) can be a fiber network, such as glass fiber, PET fiber, PE fiber, other suitable fibers, or combinations thereof, or foam.

[0075] The amount of dust in a material, composition, or thermal barrier can be determined using methods and apparatus known in the art, including, for example, TSI's DustTrak™. The aerosol monitor generates dust values ​​via a light-scattering optics coupled to a photodetector, which is used to determine the mass concentration of particulate dust in real time. A small flexible tube in the dust tracking device is placed at the inlet port of the pump. During operation, the pump generates a slight vacuum, thereby drawing in all dust from the sample surface for dust quantity analysis.

[0076] The dust value of uncoated aerogel materials or compositions ranges from about 0.1 mg / m³. 3 Approximately 25 mg / m 3 Approximately 2mg / m 3 Approximately 25 mg / m 3 Approximately 5 mg / m 3 Approximately 15 mg / m 3 Approximately 7.5 mg / m 3 Approximately 12.5 mg / m 3 The dust value is either zero or falls within a range of any two of these values. The conformal coatings disclosed herein significantly reduce dust values. As an example, the dust value of the coated aerogel material or composition (i.e., an example of a thermal barrier) is less than about 5 mg / m³. 3Less than approximately 2.5 mg / m 3 Less than approximately 1 mg / m³ 3 Or less than about 0.5 mg / m 3 .

[0077] Encapsulation isolation material layer

[0078] Figure 1A One aspect of the battery module 100 is shown. In one aspect, the battery module 100 includes a plurality of batteries 102 electrically coupled together; an insulating material layer 110 located between at least two of the plurality of batteries 102, batteries 102A, 102B, the insulating material layer 110 including an outer porous surface; and a conformal coating 420 located on the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer 110, wherein the conformal coating 420 penetrates the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer 110 to a penetration depth range, the penetration depth range being about 2 nanometers to about 800 micrometers, about 2 nanometers to about 500 micrometers, about 500 nanometers to about 250 micrometers, about 2 micrometers to about 500 micrometers, about 50 micrometers to about 300 micrometers, about 150 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, or any range therebetween.

[0079] The module 100 includes a stacked number of batteries 102, which may be referred to as a stack of batteries 102. In one aspect, the stack of batteries 102 includes lithium-ion batteries 102, although other battery types are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. The lithium-ion batteries 102 can be used in various configurations. In one aspect, the stack of lithium-ion batteries 102 includes lithium-ion prismatic batteries or lithium-ion pouch batteries, although other batteries are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. Figure 1A Each of the batteries 102 includes an electrical terminal 104.

[0080] The battery module 100 further includes a thermal barrier 400, which includes the insulating material layer 110 and a conformal coating 420 located on the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer 110. As described above, the insulating material layer 110 is intended to prevent or mitigate thermal runaway conditions that may occur in the battery 102 (e.g., lithium-ion battery 102). The insulating material layer 110 is also referred to as the thermal barrier layer 110. A thinner insulating material layer 110 provides more space for the battery in the battery module 100 and reduces the overall size of the battery module 100, while still providing thermal insulation.

[0081] Figure 1B Another configuration of the battery module 100' is shown, which includes a heat sink 154 located on one side of the module 100' and in thermal communication with the battery 102. Figure 1B A cross-section of the battery module 100' is shown. One or more batteries 102 are shown separated by one or more thermal barriers 400. Figure 1BIn this configuration, selected groups 112, 114, and 116 of batteries 102 are separated by corresponding thermal barriers 400. In other respects, each battery 102 is separated from its adjacent battery 102 by thermal barriers 400 and is thus surrounded by its respective thermal barrier 400. It should be understood that the side, bottom, or top surface of the battery module 100' may also include thermal barriers 400. Aspects of the thermal barrier 400, including the insulating material layer 110 and the conformal coating 420, are shown in more detail in the following discussion of the accompanying drawings.

[0082] Figure 2 A reinforcing network 200 (also referred to as reinforcing network layer 200) is shown, which is included in selected aspects of a thermal barrier 400. The reinforcing network 200 comprises reinforcing network pores 202 defined by interconnected reinforcing structures 204. The reinforcing network pores 202 are also referred to herein as reinforcing structure pores 202. In one aspect, each reinforcing network pore 202 has a diameter (or maximum diameter, if non-spherical) ranging from about 1 nanometer (nm) to about 5 micrometer (µm), from about 2 nm to about 3 µm, from about 5 nm to about 1 µm, from about 10 nm to about 0.5 µm, or from about 1 nm to about 5 µm. The reinforcing network 200 may comprise any of the reinforcing materials described above. In some aspects, the reinforcing network material may comprise polymers (e.g., polyurethane foam), metal foams, etc. In one aspect, the reinforcing network 200 comprises a fiber network, wherein the reinforcing structures 204 comprise separate fibers that can be laid close to each other and / or entangled to form the reinforcing network 200. The fiber aspect includes polymer fibers, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, pre-oxidized PAN fibers, inorganic fibers, carbon-based fibers, or combinations thereof. In one aspect, inorganic fibers include glass fibers, rock fibers, metal fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, basalt fibers, or combinations thereof.

[0083] Figure 3 An uncoated insulating material layer 110 is shown. In this example, the insulating material layer 110 includes... Figure 2 The reinforcing network 200 and the porous insulating material 302 are included. Therefore, in one aspect, the reinforcing network 200 and the porous insulating material 302 are included in the insulating material layer 110. The insulating material layer 110 may be included in a structure similar to... Figure 1A and 1B The insulating material layer 110 is in the battery module 100, 100'. In one aspect, the porous insulating material 302 comprises an aerogel material. Figure 3The insulating material 302 illustrates an aerogel material having a plurality of aerogel pores 304 (also referred to herein as insulating material pores 304). The insulating material 302 and the reinforcing network 200 are collectively referred to as fiber-reinforced aerogel. In one aspect, the diameter (or maximum diameter, if non-spherical) of each aerogel pore 304 ranges from about 1 nm to about 1000 nm, from about 2 nm to about 800 nm, from about 5 nm to about 500 nm, from about 10 nm to about 100 nm, or any range between about 1 nm and about 1000 nm. In one aspect, the porous structure of the insulating material layer 110 includes both aerogel pores 304 and [other components]. Figure 2 Enhanced network hole 202 in the middle.

[0084] The insulating material layer 110 can be used as Figure 1A and Figure 1B The example shown includes the insulating material layer 110. Although... Figure 2 and Figure 3 While the reinforcing network 200 is included in some aspects, it should be understood that in others, the insulating material layer comprises an aerogel material but does not include the reinforcing network 200. Therefore, Figure 1A and Figure 1B The battery modules 100, 100' shown may include other insulating material layers 110 that may include aerogel material but not the reinforcing network 200.

[0085] In one aspect, the porous insulating material 302 comprises aerogel particles mixed with an adhesive or carrier material (e.g., a polymeric adhesive). In another aspect, the porous insulating material 302 comprises only aerogel particles and contains no adhesive or carrier material. In one aspect, the porous insulating material 302 comprises a substantially monomeric aerogel material. In one aspect, the aerogel comprises a silica-based aerogel. In one aspect, the porous insulating material 302 is cast around and at least partially covers the reinforcing network 200. In one aspect, the porous insulating material 302 is laminated with the reinforcing network 200.

[0086] In one aspect, the insulating material layer 110 includes additional components, such as particulate additives and / or additional layers. In one aspect, the particulate additive may include a heat absorber, a phase change material, a heat reflective material, a thermally conductive material, a flame retardant, an intumescent material, or a combination thereof. In one aspect, the additional layer includes an elastic material layer to absorb the expansion and contraction of the battery 102 in the battery modules 100, 100'. In one aspect, the additional layer includes a thermally conductive layer that can be coupled to the heat sink 154. In another aspect, the additional layer may simultaneously include an elastic material layer and a thermally conductive layer.

[0087] One or more components of the insulating material layer 110 may be mechanically fragile or less elastic than other components of the insulating material layer 110. More fragile components are more prone to breakage and detachment from exposed surfaces of the insulating material layer 110, resulting in unwanted dust or debris. For example, porous insulating material 302 may become loose and detach from the insulating material layer 110, generating dust and debris. Porous insulating material 302 typically contains very fine surface structures, such as pores 304 or portions of pores 304. It is desirable to strengthen the adhesion of these fine surface structure features within the insulating material layer 110. Strengthening the adhesion of fine surface structure features (e.g., porous insulating material 302) can reduce dust generation by reducing the breakage of such fine surface structure features.

[0088] Figure 4 An enlarged view of a portion of the thermal barrier 400 is shown. Figure 4 The thermal barrier 400 shown includes Figure 3 The outermost portion 306 of the insulating material layer 110 shown includes a conformal coating 420 formed at least on the outer surface of the portion 306 of the insulating material layer 110.

[0089] exist Figure 4 In this configuration, the thermal barrier 400 includes a reinforcing network comprising reinforcing structures 204 defining a plurality of reinforcing structural pores 202. The thermal barrier 400 further includes a porous insulating material 302 having a plurality of insulating material pores 304. Similar to... Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one aspect, as shown, the porous insulating material 302 is at least partially located within the reinforcing structural pores 202 of the reinforcing network 200.

[0090] exist Figure 4 In this embodiment, a conformal coating (encapsulation) 420 is contained on the outer (external) surface of the insulating material layer 300. The conformal coating 420 conforms to the contour of the reinforcing structure 204. The conformal coating 420 follows the surface contour of the reinforcing structure 204. The reinforcing structure 204 retains its surface contour (e.g., curves, pores, protrusions, indentations, cavities, fibers) after the conformal coating 420 is formed. In one aspect, exposed fibers 406 in the reinforcing structure 204 have an initial shape and retain that shape after the conformal coating 420 is formed. One or more exposed fibers 406 may form reinforcing structure pores 202 within the reinforcing structure 204, wherein the conformal coating 420 conforms to the contour of the reinforcing structure pores 202. The conformally coated reinforcing structure pores 202 retain the shape of the reinforcing structure pores 202 prior to the formation of the conformal coating 420 thereon.

[0091] The primary advantage of the conformal coating 420 is that it enhances the adhesion of the porous insulating material 302 within the thermal barrier 400. When the reinforcing network 200 is absent, the conformal coating 402 facilitates the adhesion of the fine surface structure features of the porous insulating material 302 to each other. When the reinforcing network 200 is included, the conformal coating 402 facilitates the adhesion of the fine surface structure features of the porous insulating material 302 to each other and facilitates the adhesion of the porous insulating material 302 to the reinforcing network 200. Both of these aspects are superior to an uncoated insulating material layer or a non-conformally coated insulating material layer. This enhanced adhesion reduces or prevents the formation of dust and / or debris from the insulating material 410 during processing.

[0092] In one example, the conformal coating 420 disclosed herein is phenelzine. Pyrezine can be conformally coated at a relatively small thickness to improve the adhesion of the porous insulating material 302 to itself (i.e., it will not detach) and to the reinforcing network 200 (if used).

[0093] There are no reports of conformal coatings being used on dusty surfaces, such as the insulating material layer 300. When the conformal coating is thin, it is easy for the coating, along with the dust, to peel off from the dusty surface. A larger coating thickness is required to retain the coating on the dusty surface. However, thick coatings are not conformal and often lead to other undesirable physical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties.

[0094] The unique properties of the isolation material layer disclosed herein, as well as the unique interaction between the isolation material layer 110 and the conformal coating 420, enable the formation of a durable and robust conformal coating 420 on at least a portion of the isolation material layer 110.

[0095] A second advantage of the conformal coating 420 includes limited or no alteration to the thermal properties of the insulating material layer 110. Because structures such as the reinforcing structural pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406 are conformally coated (e.g., contour-fitted, encapsulated) but not filled, the air gaps remain substantially intact at the outer surface of the insulating material layer 110, and therefore also at the outer surface of the thermal barrier 400. This preserves the ability of the air gaps to provide thermal insulation. In other words, because the conformal coating 420 is located above the outer surface of the insulating material layer 110 and coats the insulating material layer 110 to a predetermined depth, the air gaps within the insulating material layer 110 are undisturbed, thus providing a high level of thermal insulation.

[0096] A third advantage of the conformal coating 420 is that it improves or maintains the mechanical properties of the insulating material layer 110 and its fine surface structural features (e.g., reinforcing structural pores 202, insulating material pores 304, and exposed fibers 406). The mechanical properties of the conformal coating 420 material are selected such that its mechanical robustness is higher than that of the structures in the reinforcing network 200 (e.g., reinforcing structural pores 202, insulating material pores 304, and exposed fibers 406). The specific conformal coating 420, which incorporates improved mechanical properties relative to the structures (e.g., reinforcing structural pores 202, insulating material pores 304, and exposed fibers 406), reduces breakage of these structures, thereby reducing undesirable dust and debris. Surprisingly, the use of terylene as the conformal coating 420 improves mechanical properties and reduces dust and debris. Typically, coatings (e.g., non-conformal coatings) suffer from decreased mechanical properties due to coating thickness and / or the interaction between the coating and the insulating material layer 110.

[0097] The improved or maintained mechanical properties of the insulating material layer 110 (and thus the thermal barrier 400) include one or more of the following: tensile strength, hardness, toughness, surface roughness, and stiffness. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 has a tensile strength higher than that of the reinforcing network 200 and higher than one or more components of the structure, such as the reinforcing structural pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 has a hardness higher than that of the reinforcing network 200 and higher than one or more components of the structure, such as the reinforcing structural pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 has a toughness higher than that of the reinforcing network 200 and higher than one or more components of the structure, such as the reinforcing structural pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406. In one aspect, the surface roughness of the insulating material layer 110 (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) having the conformal coating 420 thereon is less than the surface roughness of the insulating material layer 110 without the conformal coating 420 thereon. In one respect, the stiffness of the insulating material layer 110 (i.e., thermal barrier 400) having the conformal coating 420 thereon is greater than the stiffness of the insulating material layer 110 without the conformal coating 420 thereon (e.g., a lower strain rate is required after coating to achieve the same nominal stress target).

[0098] A fourth advantage of the conformal coating 420 is the reduction of liquid / moisture absorption by the insulating material layer 110 and consequently the thermal barrier 400. By reducing liquid / moisture absorption, the thermal barrier 400 repels moisture and / or potentially leaking organic vapors or liquids from adjacent cells 102. Furthermore, the reduced liquid / moisture absorption provided by the conformal coating 420 simplifies the manufacturing process and subsequently reduces costs. For example, due to the reduced liquid / gas absorption introduced by the conformal coating 420, steps (e.g., surface modification steps) that reduce liquid / moisture absorption can be removed from the manufacturing process of the insulating material layer 110. The percentage of liquid absorption of the insulating material layer 110 (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) with the conformal coating 420 is less than about 10%, less than about 5%, less than 3%, or less than 1%.

[0099] In the context of this disclosure, the term "liquid / moisture absorption" refers to a measurement of the potential of an insulating material layer or thermal barrier formed therefrom to absorb or otherwise retain a liquid or gas. Liquid / gas absorption can be expressed as the percentage (by weight or by volume) of liquid absorbed or otherwise retained by an insulating material layer or thermal barrier when exposed to a liquid or gas under specific measurement conditions.

[0100] The physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the insulating material layer 110 derive from the unique combination of the insulating material pores 304, the reinforcing structure pores 202, and the conformal coating 420. Relevant properties of the insulating material pores 304 and the reinforcing structure pores 202 include pore size, pore size distribution, and pore structure. Relevant properties of the conformal coating 420 include conformality, coating weight, coating thickness, and coating penetration thickness. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 conformally penetrates into the insulating material pores 304 to bind or bond the particles of the insulating material 302, preventing them from detaching from the insulating material layer 110. In another aspect, the conformal coating 420 conformally penetrates into the reinforcing structure pores 202 to bind or bond the insulating material 302 to the exposed fibers 406 of the reinforcing structure 204.

[0101] The effect of conformal coating 420 on the insulating material layer 110 will be discussed separately below. Examples 1 to 7 contain further details regarding the effect of conformal coating 420 on the performance of insulating material layer 110.

[0102] The effect of coating / encapsulation on the physical properties of the isolation material layer

[0103] In one aspect, the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) has a lower BET surface area than the uncoated insulating material layer 110. In another aspect, the BET surface area of ​​the uncoated insulating material layer 110 ranges from approximately 200 m². 2 / g to approximately 500 m 2 / g、250 m 2 / g to approximately 350 m 2 / g, or approximately 250 m 2 / g to approximately 300 m 2 / g. The surface area of ​​the coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) is directly related to the coating weight. Compared to the coating weight, the coating type (e.g., pyrene-C or pyrene-N coating) has a smaller effect on the BET surface area. In one aspect, when the coating weight ranges from about 10% to about 15% by weight, the BET surface area of ​​the coated insulating material layer 400 ranges from about 200 m² / g. 2 / g to approximately 220 m 2 / g. In one aspect, when the coating weight ranges from about 15 wt% to about 35 wt%, the BET surface area of ​​the coated isolation layer 400 ranges from about 100 m². 2 / g to approximately 200 m 2 / g. The coating weight is the weight of the applied coating divided by the weight of the uncoated release liner. For example, if 500 g of release liner is coated with 50 g of conformal coating, the coating weight is 10%. In one aspect, when the coating weight is approximately 40 m... 2 At / g, the BET surface area of ​​the insulating material layer (thermal barrier) coated with phenelzine ranges to approximately 95 m². 2 / g to approximately 170m 2 / g. Example 1 below further demonstrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the BET surface area and normalized BET surface area of ​​the isolation material layer 110. The normalized BET surface area is calculated based on the weight of the isolation material layer 110, without considering the weight of the conformal coating. The normalized BET surface area of ​​the isolation material layer ranges from 130 m². 2 / g to 400 m 2 / g.

[0104] The effect of coating / encapsulation on the thermal properties of the insulating material layer

[0105] In one aspect, the heat of combustion (HoC) of the insulating material layer 110 is related to the conformal coating 420. In another aspect, the HoC of the insulating material layer 110 having the conformal coating 420 is proportional to the coating weight. In other words, as the coating weight increases, the HoC of the conformally coated insulating material layer 110 increases proportionally. In one example, the HoC of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 is between about 500 cal / g and about 2000 cal / g, about 800 cal / g and about 1500 cal / g, or about 900 cal / g and about 1100 cal / g, while the HoC of the coated insulating material layer 400 ranges from about 800 cal / g and about 3500 cal / g, about 800 cal / g and about 2000 cal / g, or about 1000 cal / g and about 2000 cal / g. Example 3 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the HoC of the insulating material layer 110.

[0106] In one aspect, the thermal conductivity (Tc) of the insulating material layer 110 increases with increasing coating weight of the conformal coating 420. In one coating example, when the insulating material layer 400 is lightly coated at a coating weight of about 10% to about 20% by weight, Tc increases from about 1.5 mW / m·K to about 2.5 mW / m·K. When the insulating material layer 400 is heavily coated at a coating weight of about 20% to about 40% by weight, Tc increases from about 2.0 mW / m·K to about 2.75 mW / m·K. In another coating example, when the insulating material layer 400 is lightly coated at a coating weight of about 10% to about 20% by weight, Tc increases from about 2.5 mW / m·K to about 5 mW / m·K. When the insulating material layer 400 is heavily coated at a coating weight of about 20% to about 40% by weight, Tc increases from about 2.75 mW / m·K to about 9 mW / m·K. Example 2 below further demonstrates the effect of the conformal coating on the thermal conductivity of the insulating material layer 400.

[0107] In TGA testing, the weight loss of the conformally coated isolation layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) typically corresponds to the weight of the conformal coating 420, indicating that the conformal coating is burned off during TGA testing. In one example, the weight loss of the conformally coated isolation layer ranges from about 10% to about 30% corresponding to a weight range of about 10% to about 30% of the conformal coating. In another example, the weight loss of the conformally coated isolation layer ranges from about 25% to about 40% corresponding to a weight range of about 25% to about 40% of the conformal coating. Example 4 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the weight loss of the isolation layer 110 during TGA testing.

[0108] During TGA testing, the heat release of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) corresponds to the weight of the conformal coating 420. For 25% to 40% of the coating weight of the insulating material layer 400, the heat release ranges from 1000 J / g to 3000 J / g, 1500 J / g to 2000 J / g, or 1800 J / g to 2200 J / g. Example 4 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the heat release of the insulating material layer 110.

[0109] In DSC testing, the onset temperature of the insulating material layer 110 decreases with the presence of the conformal coating 420. The uncoated insulating material layer 110 has an onset temperature of approximately 400°C to about 700°C, approximately 400°C to about 700°C, or approximately 400°C to about 700°C. The onset temperature of the insulating material layer 110 with the conformal coating 420 (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) decreases to approximately 150°C to about 350°C, approximately 200°C to about 300°C, or approximately 250°C. Without being bound by theory, the decrease in onset temperature is triggered by a coating material that has a lower onset temperature than the uncoated insulating material layer 110. Example 4 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the onset temperature of the insulating material layer 110.

[0110] The effect of coating on the mechanical properties of the isolation material layer

[0111] In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 reduces the shrinkage rate of the insulating material layer 110 in the length, width, and / or thickness directions. With the conformal coating 420, the reduction in thickness shrinkage is greater than the reduction in length or width shrinkage. In other words, the conformal coating 420 is more effective at reducing thickness shrinkage than reducing length or width shrinkage. The thickness shrinkage rate of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 is about 5% to about 15%, about 7% to about 12%, or about 9% to about 10%. The thickness shrinkage rate of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) ranges from about 0.1% to about 12%, about 0.5% to about 10%, about 2% to about 8%, or about 4% to about 6%. The length shrinkage rate of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 is about 1% to about 8%, about 2% to about 6%, or about 3% to about 5%. The length shrinkage rate of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) ranges from about 0.5% to about 5%, about 1% to about 4%, or about 2% to about 4%. The width shrinkage rate of the uncoated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) is about 1% to about 5%, about 2% to about 4%, or about 2.5% to about 4%. The width shrinkage rate of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) ranges from about 1% to about 4%, about 2% to about 4%, or about 2.5% to about 3.5%.

[0112] The coating weight of conformal coating 420 did not show a clear trend in its effect on the shrinkage rate of the coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400). In other words, the heavier conformal coating 420 did not show a smaller shrinkage rate of the thermal barrier 400 in terms of length, width, or thickness. Example 5 below further illustrates the effect of conformal coating 420 on the dimensional shrinkage rate of insulating material layer 110. Coating weight is the weight of the coated layer divided by the weight of the uncoated insulating material layer 110. For example, if 500 g of insulating material layer is coated with 50 g of conformal coating, the coating weight is 10%.

[0113] The conformal coating 420 reduces the strain of the insulating material layer 110. In other words, the insulating material layer 110 with the conformal coating 420 (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) is harder than the uncoated insulating material layer 110. The strain of the coated insulating material layer (i.e., the thermal barrier 400) is proportional to the coating weight of the conformal coating 420. In one aspect, the strain of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 at 1 MPa ranges from about 40 to about 60, from about 45 to about 55, or from about 47.5 to about 50. For a light coating of about 10% to about 15% by weight, the strain of the thermal barrier 400 at 1 MPa ranges from about 40 to about 50, from about 42.5 to about 47.5, or from about 44 to about 46. For a medium coating of about 15% to about 30% by weight, the strain of the thermal barrier 400 at 1 MPa ranges from about 35 to about 50, from about 35 to about 45, or from about 37.5 to about 42.5. For a large coating of about 30% to about 45% by weight, the strain of the thermal barrier at 1 MPa ranges from about 25 to about 40, from about 27.5 to about 37.5, or from about 30 to about 35. Example 6 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the strain of the insulating material layer 110.

[0114] The strain of the insulating material layer 110 at 1 MPa is closely related to the density of the thermal barrier 400. The density of the thermal barrier 400, in turn, is closely related to the coating weight of the conformal coating 420.

[0115] The density of the conformally coated isolation layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) increases with increasing weight of the conformal coating 420. The density was tested at 0.2 PSI pressure. In one aspect, the density increases linearly with increasing coating weight. In another aspect, the density increases by about 1% to about 12% when the conformal weight increases from about 10% to about 45% by weight. For example, the density increases by about 1% to about 4% when the conformal coating weight increases from about 10% to about 20% by weight; the density increases by about 2% to about 5% when the conformal coating weight increases from about 15% to about 25% by weight; the density increases by about 4% to about 8.5% when the conformal coating weight increases from about 20% to about 35% by weight; and the density increases by about 5% to about 12% when the conformal coating weight increases from about 22% to about 45% by weight. Example 7 below further illustrates the effect of the coating weight of the conformal coating 420 on the density of the thermal barrier 400.

[0116] The strain of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) decreases with increasing density. In other words, the conformally coated insulating material layer 400 becomes stiffer with increasing density. Density was tested at 0.2 PSI. The density of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 ranges from approximately 0.21 g / cm³. 3 To approximately 0.23 g / cm 3 The strain ranges from about 47.5 to about 50. The thermal barrier 400 with conformal coating has a strain range from about 35 to about 50, about 40 to about 45, and about 42.5 to about 47.5, while the density is about 0.21 g / cm³. 3 To approximately 0.26 g / cm 3 The strain range of the thermal barrier 400 with conformal coating is from about 25 to about 45, about 40 to about 45, and about 27.5 to about 42.5, while the density is about 0.24 g / cm³. 3 Approximately 0.31 g / cm³ 3 Between. Example 7 below further illustrates the effect of density on the strain of the thermal barrier 400.

[0117] The compressive deformation of the conformally coated insulating material layer (i.e., thermal barrier 400) is similar to that of the uncoated insulating material layer 110. The compressive deformation ranges for the coated and uncoated insulating material layers 400, 110 from about 65% to about 98%, from about 75% to about 95%, from about 80% to about 95%, from about 80% to about 90%, or from about 82.5% to about 90%. In one aspect, the average compressive deformation of the uncoated insulating material layer 110 is about 86%, the average compressive deformation of the insulating material layer coated with phenelzine-C (an example of thermal barrier 400) is about 84%, and the average compressive deformation of the insulating material layer coated with phenelzine-N (another example of thermal barrier 400) is about 88%. Example 8 below further illustrates the effect of the conformal coating 420 on the compressive deformation of the conformally coated insulating material layer 400.

[0118] Conformal coating method

[0119] In one aspect, the process for forming the conformal coating 420 (the coating process) includes at least three steps. The first step is to vaporize the coating source material into a gaseous phase. The coating source material may be solid or liquid. In one aspect, the coating source material is solid. The temperature of the vaporization step is less than about 200°C. For example, the vaporization temperature may be below about 150°C, below about 100°C, below about 80°C, or below about 60°C. In one aspect, the vaporization of the source material is carried out under a vacuum. In one aspect, the vaporization of the source material is carried out at a pressure less than about 5 torr, less than about 3 torr, or less than about 1 torr.

[0120] The coating source material can be an inorganic compound, a metal-organic complex, a polymer, other suitable coating source materials, or a combination thereof. In one aspect, the coating source material can be a polymer, such as a dimer. In another aspect, the coating source material can be parylene and its derivatives (e.g., phenelzine), fluorocarbon polymers (e.g., hexafluoropropylene oxide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, perfluorodecanoic acid, poly(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl acrylate)), organosilicon polymers (tetramethylsilane, hexamethyldisilazane, dimethyldichlorosilane), acrylate / methacrylate polymers, styrene and other vinyl polymers, ring-opening polymers, polyamides (e.g., nylon), polyimides, polyurea, polythiourea, polyurethane, polyesters, polyoxymethylene, other polymers suitable for vapor phase coating, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the coating source material is phenelzine, acrylic acid, silicone, urethane, other suitable materials, and combinations thereof. In another aspect, the coating source material is a phenelzine dimer.

[0121] In one aspect, the coating source material is a p-xylene dimer. An example of a coating source material is a dimer called [2,2]-p-xylene dimer. The [2,2]-p-xylene dimer can be pyrolyzed into the monomer p-xylene, which can then be polymerized in situ on a separating material layer to form a poly(p-xylene) conformal coating. Poly(p-xylene) is also known as p-xylene dimer (Pyrelin-N). Pyrelin-N is a linear material with high crystallinity. Pyrelin-N is a primary dielectric and therefore exhibits characteristics such as an extremely low loss factor, high dielectric strength, and a low dielectric constant independent of frequency.

[0122] In one respect, the coating source material is a dimer called dichloro[2,2]-xylene dimer. Dichloro[2,2]-xylene dimer is also known as phenelzine-C. Pyrezine-C is made from the same raw material (dimer) as phenelzine-N and modified by replacing one of the aromatic hydrogen atoms with a chlorine atom. The chlorine atom on the benzene ring of phenelzine-C replaces one of the aromatic hydrogen atoms of phenelzine-N, which results in low chemical, moisture, and vapor permeability, making phenelzine-C particularly useful in applications requiring protection against corrosive gases.

[0123] The second step in the coating process is to pyrolyze the vapor-phase coating source material into monomer form. The pyrolysis temperature is above 500°C. For example, the pyrolysis temperature can be above 500°C, above 600°C, above 700°C, or above 800°C. In one aspect, the pyrolysis temperature is above 650°C. In another aspect, the temperature of the pyrolysis process is higher than the temperature of the vaporization process of the coating source material. In one aspect, the pyrolysis process of the source material is carried out under vacuum. In another aspect, the pyrolysis of the source material is carried out at a pressure less than about 1 torr, less than about 0.5 torr, or less than about 0.1 torr. In another aspect, the pyrolysis process is carried out at a pressure lower than the pressure of the vaporization process.

[0124] The third step of the coating process is to deposit and polymerize the pyrolytic vapor phase coating source material on the surface of the isolation material layer 110. During this third step, the isolation material layer 110 is exposed to the pyrolytic vapor phase coating source material. The deposition and polymerization temperatures are below about 100°C, below about 80°C, below about 60°C, below about 40°C, or below about 20°C. For example, the deposition and polymerization temperature is below about 40°C. In one aspect, the deposition and polymerization processes are carried out under a vacuum. In another aspect, the deposition process temperature is lower than the temperatures of the pyrolysis and vaporization processes. In one aspect, the polymerization process is carried out under a vacuum. In one aspect, the polymerization process is carried out at a pressure less than about 0.5 torr, less than about 0.3 torr, or less than about 0.1 torr. In one aspect, the polymerization process is carried out at a pressure less than the pressure of the pyrolysis process.

[0125] Since the deposition process is in the gas phase, vapor will surround and penetrate the surface structures, such as the reinforcing structure pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406. Subsequently, the coating monomers are vapor-phase polymerized to form a polymer coating on the surface structures (e.g., the reinforcing structure pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406).

[0126] The third step of the coating process may optionally include a polymerization initiation step. A polymerization initiation step includes, for example, exposure to light energy, such as ultraviolet light, heat, or other initiation energies. Other aspects of the polymerization initiation step include the introduction of a chemical initiator, for example, in gaseous form, during vaporization, deposition, and / or polymerization.

[0127] In one aspect, at least one of the processes in vaporization, deposition, and polymerization is carried out at a temperature less than about 150°C, less than about 100°C, less than about 80°C, less than about 50°C, less than about 30°C, or less than about 25°C. In another aspect, all three steps of the vaporization, deposition, and polymerization processes are carried out at a temperature less than about 150°C, less than about 100°C, less than about 80°C, less than about 50°C, less than about 30°C, or less than about 25°C. The mild temperatures required for coating reduce the cost and risk of the coating process.

[0128] Figure 5 One aspect of the complete thermal barrier 400' is shown, encapsulated within a conformal coating 420. The thickness 502 of the thermal barrier 400' is shown. In one aspect, the thickness 502 is in any range between about 0.1 mm and about 50 mm, between about 0.5 mm and about 30 mm, between about 0.5 mm and about 15 mm, between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm, between about 0.5 mm and about 5 mm, between about 0.5 mm and about 1.5 mm, or between about 0.1 mm and about 50 mm. A thinner thermal barrier 400' provides more space for the battery 102 within the battery modules 100, 100' and reduces the overall size of the battery modules 100, 100' while still providing a thermal barrier to ensure safety. However, as the thermal barriers 400' become thinner, they may become more fragile. Including the conformal coating 420 disclosed herein allows for a reduction in thickness 502 while maintaining the required mechanical robustness characteristics. This is partly because the conformal coating 420 is thinner than other types of coatings (such as non-conformal coatings) or encapsulations (such as polymer film encapsulations) while still containing dust that creates a thermal barrier.

[0129] Figure 5The penetration depth 504 of the conformal coating 420 is further illustrated. The penetration depth 504 is the distance between the outer surface of the insulating material layer 110 and the internal location of the insulating material layer 110 accessible to the coating material. In one aspect, the penetration depth 504 ranges from about 2 nm to about 2 mm. In other examples, the penetration depth 504 ranges from about 2 nm to about 10 µm, from about 2 nm to about 800 µm, from about 100 nm to 100 µm, from about 1 µm to about 500 µm, from about 150 µm to about 250 µm, from about 10 µm to about 1 mm, or from about 100 µm to about 2 mm. In one aspect, the penetration depth 504 is a function of pore size (e.g., the pore size of the reinforcing structure pores 202 and / or the insulating material pores 304) in the insulating material layer 110. Factors such as average pore size and pore size distribution affect the penetration depth 504. Furthermore, structures such as exposed fibers 406 affect the penetration depth 504. In one respect, the penetration depth 504 is approximately 5, 20, 40, or 50 times the average pore size. Because longer deposition and / or polymerization times provide a thicker coating on all structures, the average pore size decreases as deposition and / or polymerization proceeds. Therefore, there is a limit to the penetration depth 504, and it does not increase significantly with prolonged deposition time.

[0130] In some aspects, the conformal coating 420 may form a continuous film on the insulating material layer 110. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 partially covers the insulating material layer 110. In another aspect, the conformal coating substantially covers the insulating material layer 110. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 encapsulates the entire outer surface of the insulating material layer 110 without exposing the insulating material 302 or the reinforcing network 200, thereby reducing or preventing dust and debris from detaching from the insulating material layer 110. In one aspect, the conformal coating 420 reduces or prevents the absorption of undesirable moisture / gas (thermal runaway ejecta) or liquids (e.g., battery electrolyte leakage).

[0131] The conformal coating 420 extends beyond the outer surface of the insulating material layer 110. In other words, the coating process forms a conformal coating 420 that accumulates on the outer surface of the insulating material layer 110. Figure 5 As shown, the conformal coating 420 has a thickness 505 greater than the penetration depth 504. In one aspect, the thickness 505 is less than about 3 mm, 1 mm, 500 µm, 100 µm, 5 µm, less than 3 µm, or less than 1 µm. In another aspect, the thickness 505 is greater than 1 nm, greater than 5 nm, or greater than 10 nm. In another aspect, the thickness 505 ranges from about 2 nm to about 1 µm.

[0132] As described above, the ability to form a conformal coating 420 on the external structure (e.g., the reinforcing structural pores 202, the insulating material pores 304, and the exposed fibers 406 at or near the outermost surface of the insulating material layer 110) without excessive penetration into the interior of the insulating material layer 110 has the advantage of maintaining the thermal insulation properties of the insulating material layer 110 (only by conformally coating the pores 202, 304 on the surface of the insulating material layer 110) and thus the thermal barriers 400, 400'. This can be achieved while obtaining the mechanical robustness and improved adhesion of these structures, thereby reducing or eliminating dust and debris.

[0133] Figure 6A , 6B 7A and 7B show selected close-up aspects of the conformal coating 420. Figure 6A The exposed fibers 604' of the reinforcing network 200 on the surface of the insulating material layer 110 before coating are shown. Figure 6B In the middle, multiple grains 604 of the conformal coating 420 are coupled to Figure 6A The surface of the exposed fiber 406' is exposed. The conformal coating 420 is formed by depositing grains 604 onto the surface features of the insulating material layer 110. In this way, the conformal coating 420 extends along the outer surface features of the insulating material layer 110, particularly the outer surface features of the exposed fiber 406' and any other exposed surface features of the insulating material layer 110. In one aspect, the grains 604 are substantially crystalline. In another aspect, the grains 604 are partially crystalline. In another aspect, the grains 604 are substantially amorphous. Compared to the amorphous form, the crystalline form improves the mechanical durability of the conformal coating 420.

[0134] Similarly, Figure 7A This illustrates a porous network 700 of the insulating material 302. The porous network 700 has pores 701. However, the porous network 700 is not limited to a porous network of insulating materials. For example, the porous network 700 may be part of a porous network of a reinforcing network 200. In one aspect, the porous network 700 includes an aerogel. Figure 7B Multiple grains 704 of a conformal coating 420 coupled to the surface of the porous network 700 are shown. The conformal coating 420 conforms to the outer surface profile of the porous network 700 due to a unique combination of the deposition method used and the properties of the porous network 700 (pore size, pore size distribution, surface morphology, surface chemical bonds, etc.). Figure 6B Similar to grain 604, grain 704 may include crystalline grains, partially crystalline grains, amorphous grains, or a combination thereof. The crystallinity of the conformal coating 420 can provide one or more desired mechanical properties as discussed above. For example, the crystalline form can improve the mechanical durability of the conformal coating 420 compared to the amorphous form.

[0135] Figure 8 A flowchart of one aspect of the manufacturing method is shown. In operation 802, a porous aerogel material (e.g., a fiber-reinforced aerogel composite) is formed, the aerogel material having pores, such as reinforcing network pores 202 and aerogel / insulating material pores 304. In operation 804, the aerogel material is exposed to the gas phase of the coating monomers. In operation 806, the pores are permeated to a penetration depth, and in operation 808, the coating monomers are polymerized on the aerogel material to form a conformal coating on the aerogel structure between the outer surface and the penetration depth.

[0136] Thermal barriers formed using the methods of this disclosure (e.g., insulating material layers with conformal coatings) will exhibit specific, detectable physical differences compared to thermal barriers formed using other methods. Aspects of these physical differences may include the degree of conformality of the coating, coating depth, and coating integrity. The thermal and mechanical properties of a thermal barrier with a conformal coating may also be improved or remain unchanged compared to a thermal barrier without a conformal coating or one without. For a given coating dimension (e.g., coating thickness and penetration depth), its physical properties will also be detected and will differ from coatings formed by other methods.

[0137] The battery modules 100, 100' and thermal barriers 400, 400' described above are used in a variety of electronic devices. Figure 9 One aspect of an electronic device 900 including battery modules 100, 100' is illustrated. Battery modules 100, 100' are coupled to functional electronic device 920 via circuitry 912. In the illustrated aspect, battery modules 100, 100' and circuitry 912 are contained within a housing 902. A charging port 914 is shown coupled to battery modules 100, 100' for charging battery modules 100, 100' when needed.

[0138] In one aspect, functional electronic devices 920 include devices such as semiconductor devices having transistors and memory circuits. These include telephones, computers, displays, navigation systems, etc.

[0139] Figure 10 Another electronic system is described, which utilizes battery modules 100, 100' including the thermal management system described above. Figure 10 The diagram illustrates an electric vehicle 1000. The electric vehicle 1000 includes a chassis 1002 and wheels 1022. In the illustrated aspect, each wheel 1022 is coupled to a drive motor 1020. Battery modules 100, 100' are shown not coupled to the drive motor 1020 via circuitry 1006. A charging port 1004 is shown coupled to the battery modules 100, 100' for charging the battery modules 100, 100' when needed.

[0140] The electric vehicle 1000 includes consumer vehicles such as cars and trucks. Commercial vehicles such as tractors and semi-trailers are also within the scope of this invention. Although four-wheeled vehicles are shown, other vehicles are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure. For example, two-wheeled vehicles (such as motorcycles and motorized scooters) are also within the scope of this invention.

[0141] To better illustrate the methods and apparatus disclosed herein, a non-limiting list is provided below:

[0142] Aspect 1 includes a battery module. The battery module comprises a plurality of batteries electrically coupled together and an insulating material layer between at least two of the batteries, the insulating material layer including an outer porous surface. The battery module further includes a conformal coating located above the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer, wherein the conformal coating penetrates the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer to a penetration depth in the range of about 2 nm to 800 µm.

[0143] Aspect 2 includes the battery module as described in aspect 1, wherein the conformal coating encapsulates the insulating material layer.

[0144] Aspect 3 includes a battery module as described in any one of Aspects 1-2, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 150 µm to about 250 µm.

[0145] Aspect 4 includes a battery module as described in any one of Aspects 1-3, wherein the conformal coating is formed of a substantially crystalline material.

[0146] Aspect 5 includes a battery module as described in any one of Aspects 1-4, wherein the insulating material layer comprises an aerogel material having a reinforcing network layer.

[0147] Aspect 6 includes a battery module as described in any one of aspects 1-5, particularly aspect 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer comprises a polymer foam.

[0148] Aspect 7 includes a battery module as described in any one of aspects 1-6, particularly aspect 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer includes a fiber layer.

[0149] Aspect 8 includes a battery module as described in any one of aspects 1-7, particularly aspect 5, wherein the aerogel material comprises a silica-based aerogel.

[0150] Aspect 9 includes a battery module as described in any one of aspects 1-8, particularly aspect 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer is encapsulated by an insulating material layer.

[0151] Aspect 10 includes the battery module described in any one of Aspects 1-9, wherein the conformal coating comprises phenelzine.

[0152] Aspect 11 includes the battery module of any one of aspects 1-10, wherein the insulating material layer comprises aerogel particles mixed with a carrier.

[0153] Aspect 12 includes a method for forming a thermal barrier, the method comprising forming an aerogel material having pores, exposing the aerogel material to a gas phase of a coating monomer, permeating the pores with the gas phase of the coating monomer to a certain penetration depth, and polymerizing the coating monomer on the aerogel material to form a conformal coating on an aerogel structure between the outer surface and the penetration depth.

[0154] Aspect 13 includes the method as described in aspect 12, wherein the coating monomer includes a paraffin monomer.

[0155] Aspect 14 includes the method as described in any one of aspects 12-13, wherein forming the aerogel material involves forming the aerogel material at least partially within a reinforcing network.

[0156] Aspect 15 includes the method as described in any one of aspects 12-14, particularly aspect 14, wherein the reinforcing network is a fiber layer network.

[0157] Aspect 16 includes the method described in any of aspects 12-15, particularly aspect 14, wherein the enhanced network is a foam network.

[0158] Aspect 17 includes the method as described in any one of aspects 12-16, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 0.5 micrometers to 1.0 micrometers.

[0159] Aspect 18 includes the method of any one of aspects 12-17, wherein polymerizing the coating monomer comprises polymerizing at a temperature below about 40°C.

[0160] Aspect 19 includes a thermal barrier. The thermal barrier includes a porous insulating material layer and a conformal coating covering the outer surface of the insulating material layer. The conformal coating is formed by a method comprising: exposing the insulating material layer to a vapor phase of a coating monomer, permeating the vapor phase of the coating monomer into the pores to a certain penetration depth, and polymerizing the coating monomer on the insulating material layer to form a conformal coating on the pore structure between the outer surface and the penetration depth.

[0161] Aspect 20 includes a thermal barrier as described in aspect 19, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 0.5 micrometers to 1.0 micrometers.

[0162] Aspect 21 includes a thermal barrier as described in any one of aspects 19-20, wherein the insulating material layer comprises aerogel particles mixed with a carrier.

[0163] Aspect 22 includes a thermal barrier as described in any one of aspects 19-21, wherein the insulating material layer at least partially permeates the reinforcing network layer.

[0164] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. In one aspect, the foregoing aspects (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other aspects may be used, such as those used by one of ordinary skill in the art after reading the foregoing description. The abstract conforms to 37 CFR §1.72(b) to enable the reader to quickly determine the nature of the technical disclosure. It should be understood that the submission of the abstract is not intended to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the above detailed description, various features may be combined together to simplify the disclosure. This should not be construed as an intention to suggest that any unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, the inventive subject matter may be present in not all features of a particular disclosed aspect. Therefore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, each claim existing independently as a separate aspect, and these aspects are contemplated to be able to be combined with each other in various combinations or arrangements. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims and should include the full scope of equivalents covered by those claims.

[0165] Although the subject matter of the invention has been outlined with reference to specific aspects, various modifications and alterations may be made to these aspects without departing from the broader scope of the aspects disclosed herein. Such aspects of the subject matter may be referred to individually or collectively as the term "invention" herein for convenience only, and there is no intention to limit the scope of this application to any single disclosure or inventive concept if more than one disclosure or inventive concept is actually disclosed.

[0166] The aspects shown herein have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosed teachings. Other aspects may be used and derived therefrom, thereby making structural and logical substitutions and changes without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the specific embodiments should not be considered limiting, and the scope of the various aspects is defined only by the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

[0167] As used herein, the term "or" can be interpreted as inclusive or exclusive. Furthermore, multiple examples may be provided for the resources, operations, or structures described herein as examples. Additionally, the boundaries between various resources, operations, modules, engines, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and specific operations are illustrated within the context of a particular exemplary construct. This disclosure contemplates other configurations of functionality that may fall within the scope of various aspects of this disclosure. Generally, structures and functions presented as separate resources in an aspect construction may be implemented as combined structures or resources. Similarly, structures and functions presented as single resources may be implemented as separate resources. These, and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements, all fall within the scope of the aspects of this disclosure represented by the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0168] For purposes of explanation, the foregoing description has been illustrated with reference to specific aspects. However, the illustrative discussion above is not exhaustive or limits possible aspects to the precise forms disclosed. Various modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing teachings. These aspects were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles involved and their practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the various aspects with modifications suitable for the intended particular use.

[0169] It should also be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. In this respect, a first contact may be referred to as a second contact, and similarly, a second contact may be referred to as a first contact, without departing from the scope of this aspect. Both the first contact and the second contact are contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0170] The terminology used to describe the various aspects herein is for the purpose of describing a particular aspect only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of aspects of this disclosure and the appended aspects, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and covers any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be further understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component is specified, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof is not excluded.

[0171] As used herein, depending on the context, the term "if" can be interpreted as meaning "when," "at," "in response to a determination," or "in response to a detection." Similarly, the phrase "if a determination" or "if [the condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "after a determination," "as a response to a determination," "after [the condition or event] is detected," or "as a response to the detection of [the condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0172] Example

[0173] The present invention can be further illustrated by the following non-limiting embodiments, which describe the thermal barrier performance before and / or after the application / encapsulation of a conformal coating. The following embodiments are described for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the various embodiments of the invention in any way.

[0174] Example 1: The effect of phenelzine coating / encapsulation on BET specific surface area

[0175] Two types of phenelin (phenelin-C and phenelin-N) are conformally coated onto an isolation layer. The isolation layer is a fiber-reinforced silica aerogel. Solid phenelin source material is vaporized into a gaseous phase at 150°C in a vaporizer. The vapor is pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis chamber at 680°C. The pyrolyzed vapor is introduced into a coating chamber, where the isolation layer is exposed to the pyrolyzed gaseous phenelin. The typical temperature range of the coating chamber is from about 20°C to about 35°C (e.g., 25°C, 30°C, etc.). The isolation layer does not require heating. The pyrolysis vapor is conformally coated onto the surface of the isolation layer, including the reinforcing fibers, the surface pores of the aerogel material, and the structural pores of the reinforcing structure. A typical uncoated isolation layer has a thickness of about 2.46 mm and a dimension of about 0.0261 μm before coating / encapsulation. 2 The weight is approximately 535 g / m 2 Its density is approximately 0.2134 g / cm³. 3 The coating weight ranges from approximately 50 g / m². 2 Up to 400 g / m 2 An example of a high-volume coating is approximately 364 g / m². 2 The coating weight is the weight of the applied coating divided by the weight of the uncoated release liner. For example, if 500 g of release liner is coated with 50 g of conformal coating, the coating weight is 10%.

[0176] Different coating weights for Pairelin-C and Pairelin-N were obtained by controlling process parameters until the designed coating weights in Table 1 were achieved. Key process control parameters included deposition time and the amount of coating source material (e.g., dimer) loaded into the coating system. Other process parameters used to control coating weight included vacuum level, temperature of the insulating material layer, pyrolysis temperature, and the properties of the insulating material (e.g., porosity, pore structure, composition).

[0177] As shown in Table 1, the barrier layer coated with Perylene has a lower BET surface area than the uncoated barrier layer. The BET surface area of ​​the uncoated barrier layer ranges from approximately 270 m². 2 / g to approximately 325 m 2 / g. Both the phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N coated isolation material layers exhibited low BET surface areas, ranging from approximately 95 m². 2 / g to approximately 255 m 2 / g. Regardless of the coating type used (i.e., Pyrelin-C or Pyrelin-N), the BET surface area decreases with increasing coating weight. When the coating weight is between 11% and 15% wt%, the BET specific surface area remains at 200 m² / g. 2 / g or more. When the coating weight is between 15% and 35% by weight, the BET surface area is over 100 m². 2 / g to 200 m 2 Within the range of / g. When the coating weight is approximately 40%, the BET surface area is less than 100 m². 2 / g.

[0178] The normalized BET surface area is calculated based on the weight of the isolation material layer, excluding the weight of the conformal coating. The normalized BET surface area of ​​the isolation material layer ranges from 130 m². 2 / g to 400 m 2 / g. The BET surface area range of the isolation material layer with a coating of less than about 15% is similar to that of the uncoated isolation material layer. In other words, the chosen coating weight and coating material type do not reduce the normalized BET surface area of ​​the isolation material layer. For example, an isolation material layer coated with 12.38% pyrene-C shows 386.06 m². 2 / g normalized BET surface area.

[0179] Table 1.

[0180]

[0181] Example 2: The effect of coating / encapsulation on thermal conductivity

[0182] According to the method described in Example 1, two types of phenelzine (i.e., phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N) were conformally coated onto the insulating material layer at two coating weights (light and heavy, as shown in Table 2). The insulating material layer was fiber-reinforced silica aerogel.

[0183] Each of the four groups (lightweight phenelzine-C, heavyweight phenelzine-C, lightweight phenelzine-N, and heavyweight phenelzine-N) contained 32 replicates. Table 2 lists the maximum, minimum, and average values ​​of the 32 replicates in each of the four groups. The average coating weight of the lightweight phenelzine-C coating samples was approximately 14.18%, which corresponds to approximately 42.93 g / m² of the insulating material layer on each side. 2 The average coating weight of a large number of Parylene-C coating samples was approximately 19.51%, which equates to approximately 65.93 g / m² of insulating material layer per side. 2 The average coating weight of the lightweight Parylene-N coating samples was approximately 25.35%, which equates to approximately 91.12 g / m² of insulating material layer per side. 2 The average coating weight of a large number of Parylene-N coating samples was approximately 33.18%, which corresponds to approximately 134.83 g / m² of the insulating material layer on each side. 2 .

[0184] Table 2.

[0185]

[0186] Table 2 shows the effect of the Parylene coating on the thermal conductivity of the insulating material layer. Figure 11 The thermal conductivity (Tc) of each sample was measured before and after coating. The y-axis represents the difference in Tc between the coated isolation layer and the same isolation layer before coating. All isolation layers show positive values ​​on the y-axis, indicating that the Tc of all samples was increased by the coating process. The x-axis represents the average Tc before and after coating. As the coating weight percentage increases, the y-axis value moves from the lower left to the upper right along the graph (both the difference and the average Tc measurement increase with increasing coating weight). This test shows that Tc increases statistically significantly with increasing coating application.

[0187] For example, a lightweight pyrene-C coating slightly increases the thermal conductivity of the insulating layer by approximately 1.5 mW / m·K to approximately 2.5 mW / m·K, while a heavy pyrene-C coating further increases the thermal conductivity by approximately 2 mW / m·K to approximately 2.75 mW / m·K. In contrast, pyrene-N causes a greater increase in thermal conductivity compared to pyrene-C coating. For a lightweight pyrene-N coating by weight, the thermal conductivity increases from approximately 2.5 mW / m·K to approximately 5 mW / m·K. For a heavy pyrene-N coating by weight, the thermal conductivity increases from approximately 2.75 mW / m·K to approximately 9 mW / m·K.

[0188] Example 3: The effect of coating / encapsulation on combustion heat

[0189] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights shown in Table 3 were reached. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels. HoC analysis was performed on the samples shown in Table 3, and the results are as follows. Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown.

[0190] The HoC value was determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Each uncoated release agent layer was pulverized using a rotary oscillating mill until the sample was smaller than 60 mesh. The pulverized samples were then pressed into sheets for HoC testing. Conformally coated release agent layers were pressed into granules without grinding. This is because the conformal coating binds the components of the release agent layer together, making it impossible for a mill to pulverize the conformally coated release agent layer.

[0191] Table 3. Effect of coating on HoC of the isolation material layer coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N

[0192]

[0193] Figure 12 The calorific values ​​for different coating weights are shown (samples in Table 3 are identified by their coating weight). The HoC values ​​for the two uncoated parexin barrier layers are 1062 cal / g and 1000 cal / g. Figure 12 As shown, the HoC of the coated / encapsulated isolation material layer is proportional to the amount of phenelzine coated. The HoC of the isolation material layer ranges from 1500 cal / g to 4500 cal / g, and the coating weight ranges from about 10% to 40% by weight.

[0194] Figure 13The effects of different types of pyrelin coatings on the HoC of the isolation material layer were explained. Pyrelin-C coating / encapsulation slightly increased the HoC from an average of approximately 1000 cal / g to an average of approximately 1800 cal / g. Pyrelin-N coating / encapsulation increased the HoC to an average of approximately 3100 cal / g. The greater increase in HoC for the pyrelin-N-coated isolation material layer compared to the pyrelin-C-coated layer is likely due to the higher coating weight. As shown in Table 3, the weight percentage of the pyrelin-C coating ranged from approximately 10 wt% to approximately 20 wt%, while the weight percentage of the pyrelin-N coating ranged from approximately 15 wt% to approximately 40 wt%.

[0195] Example 4: The effect of coating / encapsulation on TGA and DSC

[0196] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 4 were reached. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels. TGA and DSC tests were performed on each sample listed in Table 4. The results of weight loss (from TGA test), heat release (from DSC test), onset temperature (from DSC test), and peak temperature (from DSC test) are shown in Table 4. Figure 14-17 .

[0197] Figure 14 Table 4 illustrates the weight / mass loss of the isolation material layers coated with Piriton-C and Piriton-N during TGA testing. The average weight loss of the tested coated isolation material layers (thermal barrier) corresponds to the coating weight. The average weight loss of the uncoated isolation material layer was approximately 5.5%. The Piriton-C samples with a coating weight in the range of approximately 10%–20% (see Table 4) had an average weight loss of approximately 18%. The Piriton-N samples with a coating weight in the range of approximately 25%–40% (see Table 4) had an average weight loss of approximately 35%.

[0198] Figure 15 The heat release of the isolation material layers coated with phenelin-C and phenelin-N during DSC testing is described in Table 4. The average heat release of the coated isolation material layers corresponds to the coating weight. The average heat release of the uncoated isolation material layer is approximately 500 J / g. The average heat release of the phenelin-C samples with a coating weight ranging from approximately 10% to 20% (see Table 4) is approximately 2000 J / g. The average heat release of the phenelin-N samples with a coating weight ranging from approximately 25% to 40% (see Table 4) is approximately 3750 J / g.

[0199] Table 4.

[0200]

[0201] Figure 16 and Figure 17 The onset and peak temperatures of the isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N during DSC testing are shown in Table 4. Figure 16 As shown, the samples coated with both Pyrelin-C and Pyrelin-N exhibited lower initial temperatures, around 250°C, while the uncoated isolation material layer had an initial temperature of approximately 550°C. Unlike the results regarding weight loss and heat release, the initial and peak temperatures were independent of coating type and weight. In other words, the initial and peak temperatures were unaffected by coating type and weight. Statistical analysis shows that isolation material layers with different coating types and weights exhibited similar initial and peak temperatures compared to the uncoated isolation material layer.

[0202] Example 5: Effect of coating / encapsulation on the shrinkage rate of the isolation material layer

[0203] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 5 were achieved. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels.

[0204] Hot surface testing was performed on both coated and uncoated insulating material layers. The shrinkage rate of the coated and uncoated insulating material layers represents the difference in length, width, and thickness before and after the hot surface test. In the hot surface test, the insulating material layer was placed on a hot surface. In this example, the heated walls of an oven were used. The hot surface temperature was increased to approximately 950°C or higher at a heating rate of approximately 35°C / min. The temperature of the insulating material layer on the opposite side of the hot surface was approximately 930°C. + 10℃.

[0205] Table 5.

[0206]

[0207] Figure 18The dimensional shrinkage rates of the uncoated, Pirilin-C-coated, and Pirilin-N-coated isolation material layers listed in Table 5 are illustrated. Compared to the uncoated isolation material layer, the Pirilin-C and Pirilin-N-coated isolation material layers exhibited smaller shrinkage rates. As listed in Table 5, the coating weight ranged from approximately 13% to 30%. The thickness shrinkage rate of the uncoated isolation material was approximately 9% to 10% of the original thickness before hot surface testing. The Pirilin-coated isolation material layers showed a thickness shrinkage rate of approximately 0.53% to 9.99% of the original thickness before hot surface testing, with the sample coating weight ranging from approximately 13% to 30% by weight. The Pirilin coating also reduced the shrinkage rates in length and width, but the percentage reduction in length and width shrinkage was less than the percentage reduction in thickness shrinkage.

[0208] Example 6: The effect of overlay / encapsulation on the strain of the isolation material layer

[0209] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 6 were reached. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels.

[0210] Table 6.

[0211]

[0212] Figure 19 The strain of uncoated, phenelzine-C, and phenelzine-N coated isolation material layers is illustrated. Light coatings are less than 20% by weight, medium coatings range from about 20% by weight to less than 28% by weight, and heavy coatings are greater than 28% by weight. Regardless of the coating type, phenelzine-C or phenelzine-N, the strain decreases with increasing coating weight. In other words, increasing the coating weight causes the isolation material layer to become harder. The uncoated isolation layer shows an average strain of approximately 48.8%. For light coatings, the average strain decreases to approximately 44.7%; for medium coatings, it decreases to approximately 39.6% by average; and for heavy coatings, it decreases to approximately 32.7% by average. The strain values ​​in this embodiment were measured at a pressure of 1 MPa. For example, when a force of 1 MPa is applied to compress a 2 mm sample to 1 mm, the achieved strain rate is 50%.

[0213] Example 7: The effect of coating / encapsulation on the increase in density of the isolation material layer

[0214] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 7 were reached. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels.

[0215] Figure 20This indicates that the density of the isolation material layer increases with increasing Piriton coating amount. The density of the coated isolation material layer also increases with increasing coating weight. When the coating weight increases from approximately 10 wt% to approximately 45 wt%, the density of the coated isolation material layer increases from approximately 0.01 g / cm³. 3 Increased to approximately 0.12 g / cm³ 3 The coating density is directly proportional to the coating weight. The linear relationship between density and coating weight is expressed as:

[0216]

[0217] Figure 21 This illustrates the correlation between strain values ​​and density of the uncoated and coated Piriton-C and Piriton-N isolation material layers in this embodiment.

[0218] like Figure 21 As shown, the density of the uncoated isolation material layer ranges from approximately 0.21 g / cm³. 3 To approximately 0.23 g / cm 3 Strain was tested at 1 MPa pressure. Density was tested at 0.2 PSI. The densities of both the Parylene-C and Parylene-N coated isolation layers increased compared to the uncoated isolation layer. The increase in isolation layer density was proportional to the weight of the Parylene-C or Parylene-N coating. Regardless of the coating type (Parylene-C or Parylene-N), the strain at 1 MPa showed a strong correlation with the density of the coated isolation layer. Higher density resulted in lower strain in the isolation layer. In other words, higher density meant a harder isolation layer.

[0219] Table 7.

[0220]

[0221] Example 8: Effect of coating / encapsulation on compressive deformation of the insulating material layer

[0222] The isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 8 were reached. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels.

[0223] Figure 22 This study compares the compressive deformation of isolation material layers coated with Pyrelin-C and Pyrelin-N with those without. The average compressive deformation of the uncoated isolation material layer was approximately 86% (x-axis not applicable), while the average compressive deformation of the Pyrelin-C and Pyrelin-N coated isolation material layers were approximately 84% and 88%, respectively. Statistically, the effect of the Pyrelin coating on the compressive deformation of the isolation material layer is negligible. For example, the Pyrelin-N coating increases the compressive deformation of the isolation material layer by only about 2% compared to the original compressive deformation.

[0224] Table 8.

[0225]

[0226] Example 9: Effects of aerogel sintering and coating / encapsulation on the compressive deformation of the insulating material layer

[0227] The insulating material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method disclosed in Example 1 until the coating weights in Table 9 were achieved. The insulating material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels that underwent further sintering during formation.

[0228] Figure 23 The compression deformation of the aerogel material coated with Pyrelin-C and Pyrelin-N layers was compared with that of the uncoated layers. The average compression deformation of the uncoated layers was approximately 10% (x-axis not applicable), while the average compression deformation of the Pyrelin-C and Pyrelin-N coated layers was approximately 16% and 42%, respectively. Further sintering of the aerogel material had a relatively significant effect on the compression deformation.

[0229] Table 9.

[0230]

[0231] Example 10: The effect of coating / encapsulation on dust in the isolation material layer

[0232] Multiple isolation material layers coated with phenelzine-C and phenelzine-N were prepared according to the method in Example 1. The average values ​​of the sample characteristics are listed in Table 10. The isolation material layers were fiber-reinforced silica aerogels.

[0233] Figure 24 The dust levels of the isolation material layers coated with Piriton-C and Piriton-N were described. The dust levels of the uncoated and conformally coated isolation material layers were measured using DRX's DustTrak™. The DustTrak™ has a 2-3 inch hose attached to its pump inlet. When the DustTrak™ is turned on, a slight vacuum is created at the hose inlet. The hose is slowly moved back and forth across the isolation material layer in a "grating" motion for a set time period (2 minutes). A constant height of a few millimeters is maintained above the isolation material layer while the hose is moved back and forth in a grating motion. Six background check tests were performed by grating the hose in the air without any sample present.

[0234] The average dust content of the seven uncoated isolation material layers was approximately 8.73 mg / m³. 3Six background detection tests showed an average dust concentration of 0.02 mg / m³, with no samples detected in the background. Two types of Piriton-C conformal coatings (12.25 wt% and 37.28 wt% respectively) reduced the dust concentration to 1.08 mg / m³. 3 and 0.657 mg / m 3 The coating weights of the three conformally coated Piriton-N isolation material layers were 13.93 wt%, 31.01 wt%, and 29.66 wt%, respectively, reducing dust concentration to 0.009 mg / m³. 3 0.074 mg / m 3 and 1.46 mg / m 3 The weight of the Parylene-N coating is greater than that of the Parylene-C coating, resulting in an average dust content of 0.51 mg / m³ for the Parylene-N coated barrier layer. 3 The average dust content was 0.87 mg / m³ lower than that of the isolation material layer coated with Piriton-C. 3 (See Table 11).

[0235] Table 10.

[0236]

[0237] Table 11.

[0238]

[0239] It should be understood that the ranges provided herein include the stated range as well as any values ​​or subranges within the stated range, as such values ​​or subranges have been explicitly listed. For example, a range from about 10% to about 30% should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly listed boundary of about 10% to about 30%, but also individual values ​​such as about 12%, about 15.5%, 27%, etc., and subranges such as about 10% to about 15%, about 14% to about 28%, etc. Furthermore, when “about” and / or “substantially” are used to describe values, they are intended to cover minute variations from the stated value (up to + / - 10%).

[0240] Although several aspects have been described in detail, it should be understood that the disclosed aspects are subject to modification. Therefore, the foregoing description should be considered non-limiting.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising: Multiple batteries electrically coupled together; An insulating material layer between at least two of the plurality of batteries, the insulating material layer comprising an outer porous surface; and A conformal coating is applied over the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer, wherein the conformal coating penetrates the outer porous surface of the insulating material layer to a depth ranging from about 2 nanometers to about 2 mm.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the conformal coating encapsulates the insulating material layer.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 150 micrometers to about 250 micrometers.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the conformal coating is formed of a substantially crystalline material.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the insulating material layer comprises an aerogel material having a reinforcing network layer.

6. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer comprises polymer foam.

7. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer comprises a fiber layer.

8. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the aerogel material comprises silica-based aerogel.

9. The battery module of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing network layer is partially covered by the insulating material layer.

10. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the conformal coating comprises phenelzine.

11. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the insulating material layer comprises aerogel particles mixed with a carrier.

12. A method for forming a thermal barrier, the method comprising: An aerogel material is formed, wherein the aerogel material has pores; The aerogel material is exposed to the gas phase of the coating monomer; The coating monomer is used to permeate the pores in the gas phase to a certain depth; and The coating monomer is polymerized on the aerogel material to form a conformal coating on the aerogel structure between the outer surface of the aerogel material and the penetration depth.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the coating monomer comprises a paraffin monomer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the aerogel material involves forming the aerogel material at least partially within the reinforcing network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reinforcing network is a fiber layer network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the reinforcing network is a foam network.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 2 nanometers to about 2 mm.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein polymerizing the coating monomer comprises polymerizing at a temperature below about 40°C.

19. A thermal barrier comprising: A porous insulating material layer; and A conformal coating is formed on the outer surface of the insulating material layer by a method comprising: The insulating material layer is exposed to the gas phase of the coating monomer; The coating monomer is used to permeate the pores in the gas phase to a certain depth; and The coating monomers are polymerized on the isolation material layer to form a conformal coating on the pore structure between the outer surface and the penetration depth.

20. The thermal barrier of claim 19, wherein the penetration depth ranges from about 2 nanometers to about 2 mm.

21. The thermal barrier of claim 19, wherein the insulating material layer comprises aerogel particles mixed with a carrier.

22. The thermal barrier of claim 19, wherein the insulating material layer at least partially permeates the reinforcing network layer.

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