The number of lithium-ion battery electric vehicles in use worldwide is growing rapidly and ensuring the safety of the battery pack and minimising the risk of fire accidents has become a key issue for car manufacturers across the globe.

In order to protect vehicle occupants in the event of thermal runaway – in which the battery heats up quickly and uncontrollably and in the worst case ignites or explodes – fire protection materials and components such as flame shields are a must.

Autoneum’s new E-Fiber flame shields excel not only in their ability to withstand extreme temperatures, but also with their low weight and mechanical strength. In contrast to alternative products, which often consist of heavy and brittle mineral materials such as mica, E-Fiber shields are lightweight, stiff and stable and offer optimum flame protection and fire blast resistance. Due to the mouldability of the material, the shields also ensure excellent battery coverage and design flexibility.

They are based on a composite of reinforcing fibres and resin which are formed into thin layers of one to two millimetres. The heat resistance of up to 1,400°C and the mechanical strength of the material significantly increase resistance of the shields to high temperatures, but also to hot particle abrasion and gas pressure. The fibres also provide the part’s non-conductive and insulating properties.

The E-Fiber flame shields can be installed between the battery cells and the battery cover or the vehicle floor and have already been validated in battery tests and are currently in pre-development with various customers in Europe.

www.autoneum.com