Irradiation-Crosslinked EPDM Cable for Engine Room Heat Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle battery cables face challenges with heat resistance and flexibility, particularly in compact engine rooms, where they are exposed to high temperatures and mechanical stress, and existing materials like XLPO do not meet the required efficiency for wire mounting.
Innovation Solution
An irradiation-crosslinked EPDM composition is developed, comprising EPDM, polyolefin resin, silicone rubber, flame retardant, crosslinking accelerator, assistant, antioxidant, and lubricant, which is processed using a general extruder and electron beam crosslinking to produce a cable with high heat resistance and flexibility, preventing appearance degradation and improving productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If XLPO using low hardness PO resin is used for vehicle battery cables, then the cable can be produced with basic physical properties, but the wire mounting efficiency and flexibility required for compact engine rooms are not satisfied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining EPDM rubber (30-80 parts by weight) with PO resin (10-50 parts by weight) to achieve both flexibility and heat resistance. The EPDM provides excellent low-temperature flexibility and aging resistance, while the PO resin contributes to heat resistance and processability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between flexibility for wire mounting and heat resistance for engine room application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies irradiation crosslinking to transform the physical and chemical parameters of the EPDM-PO composite. The crosslinking process changes the molecular structure from linear to networked, significantly improving heat resistance (withstanding temperatures up to 150°C) while maintaining flexibility. This parameter transformation enables the material to meet both the flexibility requirement for wire mounting and the heat resistance requirement for engine room environments.
2Temperature
If conventional crosslinking methods are used to improve heat resistance, then heat resistance is improved, but pinhole occurrence and appearance degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional thermal or chemical crosslinking methods with irradiation crosslinking using electron beams or gamma rays. This substitution eliminates the need for high-temperature steam treatment that causes pinhole formation. The irradiation crosslinking occurs at ambient or low temperatures, preventing pinhole occurrence while achieving the desired heat resistance, thus resolving the contradiction between heat resistance improvement and appearance quality maintenance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If irradiation-crosslinked EPDM composition is developed for high flexibility and heat resistance, then the cable can be efficiently used in compact engine rooms, but the production process complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates crosslinking accelerators (such as organometallic compounds) and assistants into the EPDM-PO composite formulation before extrusion. This preliminary action prepares the material for subsequent irradiation crosslinking, enabling the crosslinking process to occur efficiently under relatively simple production conditions. The pre-added agents facilitate the crosslinking reaction when irradiated, reducing the complexity of the overall production process while achieving the required adaptability for compact engine room applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The irradiation-crosslinked EPDM composition and cable exhibit enhanced heat resistance, flexibility, and productivity, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional cables in high-temperature environments and compact spaces, such as car engine rooms.
Implementation Method 1
irradiation-crosslinking the formed cable using an electron beam accelerator
Implementation Method 2
an irradiation-crosslinked EPDM composition
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an irradiation-crosslinked ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) composition containing: EPDM 30 to 80 phr (parts per hundred resin) free of a crosslinking agent, a polyolefin (PO) resin 10 to 50 phr, a silicone rubber 5 to 40 phr, a flame retardant 20 to 30 phr, a crosslinking accelerator 5 to 10 phr, a crosslinking assistant 1 to 5 phr, an antioxidant 5 to 15 phr, and a lubricant 0.25 to 5 phr. Provided is a cable produced by: providing the irradiation-crosslinked EPDM composition; first kneading the composition using a kneader; second kneading the first kneaded composition using a roll mill; extruding the second kneaded composition using an extruder, and then cutting the extruded composition to produce pellets as a raw material for the cable; forming a cable of a predetermined length by extruding the pellets using an extruder; and irradiation-crosslinking the formed cable using an electron beam accelerator.