Fibrillated Insulative Composite for Thermal Runaway Barriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulative materials are difficult to handle, form into desired shapes, and suffer from excessive dusting, making them unsuitable for high temperature applications where thermal runaway events can damage adjacent components.
Innovation Solution
A high temperature insulative composite comprising 50 wt % or less of a fibrillated polymer matrix, greater than 40 wt % insulative particles (such as fumed silica), and additional particulate components like opacifiers and reinforcement fibers, durably enmeshed within the polymer matrix, forming thin, flexible, and compressible materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional insulative materials are used, then thermal insulation is provided, but the materials are difficult to handle, form into desired shapes, and suffer from excessive dusting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite material system consisting of a flexible polymer matrix (such as silicone rubber or thermoplastic elastomer) combined with inorganic insulative particles (such as氧化铝, 氧化镁, or 气相二氧化硅). This composite structure provides both mechanical flexibility for easy handling and high thermal insulation performance, while the bound composite structure reduces dusting compared to loose conventional insulative materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulative composite is formulated to create flexible sheets or films that can be easily handled, cut, and conform to various shapes. The flexible polymer matrix enables the material to be manipulated like a flexible film while maintaining insulative properties, directly addressing the handleability issue with conventional rigid insulative materials.
2Ease of operation
If conventional insulative materials are used, then thermal insulation is provided, but they are difficult to form into desired shape or thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The composite is designed as a flexible sheet material with controlled thickness that can be easily cut and shaped. The flexibility allows the material to conform to complex geometries while maintaining uniform thickness, enabling precise formation into desired shapes for battery compartments and thermal management applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the physical and chemical parameters of the composite, including particle size distribution, polymer matrix composition, and curing characteristics, to achieve optimal balance between formability and dimensional stability. These parameter optimizations enable the material to be formed into precise shapes while maintaining structural integrity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If thin insulative materials are used, then conformability and compressibility are improved, but insulative properties may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The composite incorporates a porous structure with controlled porosity, where air pockets or voids within the material provide additional thermal insulation. This porous architecture allows thin sections to maintain high insulative performance by trapping heat within the porous network, compensating for the reduced thickness while preserving conformability.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of flexible polymer matrix with high-performance inorganic insulative particles creates a composite where the particles provide thermal barrier properties even at thin cross-sections. The synergistic effect of the flexible matrix and insulative particles maintains both conformability and insulative performance in thin configurations.
4Reliability
If high temperature insulative materials are used, then thermal runaway protection is provided, but the materials are difficult to handle and form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects polymer matrices with specific glass transition temperatures and melting points that remain flexible at elevated temperatures. By carefully controlling the thermal parameters of the base polymer and crosslinking density, the material maintains handleability during normal operation while providing thermal runaway protection at extreme temperatures through controlled thermal decomposition characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines heat-resistant inorganic particles with a flexible polymer matrix, creating a material that resists thermal degradation while maintaining mechanical flexibility. The inorganic particles act as thermal barriers and structural stabilizers, allowing the material to be handled easily at room temperature while providing passive fire protection and thermal runaway containment at high temperatures.
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 composite effectively prevents thermal propagation by reducing the maximum temperature on the protected side to 215°C or less when exposed to 800°C on the challenge side, providing a heat propagation barrier and protecting adjacent components from thermal runaway events.
Implementation Method 1
the insulative particles and the additional particulate components are durably enmeshed within the fibrillated polymer matrix
Implementation Method 2
The composite effectively prevents thermal propagation by reducing the maximum temperature on the protected side to 215°C or less when exposed to 800°C on the challenge side
Data Source
AI summary
Insulative composites as well as articles formed therefrom are described herein. The insulative composites include a fibrillated polymer matrix, insulative particles, and additional particulate components such as at least one of reinforcement fibers, expandable microspheres, and opacifiers. The insulative particles and additional particulate components are durably enmeshed within the fibrillated polymer matrix. The insulative composites act as a heat propagation barrier when exposed to temperatures sufficient to partially or completely volatilize the fibrillated polymeric matrix within the insulative composite. The insulative composite is suitable for use in applications and/or in articles that have at least one thermally sensitive component that is capable (generally upon failure of that component) of releasing energy that is sufficient to result in a temperature that partially or completely volatilizes the fibrillated polymer matrix within the insulative composite yet still provides a sufficient insulative effect to protect one or more adjacent thermally sensitive components from damage.