In today's press release, LG Chem announced the development of a new plastic product for battery applications, which can prevent the spread of flame in the battery and provide the best fire resistance in the world When used in battery parts, due to its superior performance, the new product can resist flame for a long time.
In the press release, Steven Kim, senior vice president of Engineering Materials Department of LG Chem, said: "we are proud to introduce this new product. This is another milestone product that we have devoted ourselves to research and provide customers with innovation in the past ten years. LG Chem continues to lead the fast-growing electric vehicle market, and we will continue to produce and lead innovation on the basis of our world-class chemical composite technology through consistent R & D and investment".
Thanks to LG Chem's patented technology and manufacturing method, this flame retardant engineering plastic product is a high-function engineering plastic product made of various composite materials including polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and polyamide (PA) resin, which can prevent flame spread.
It also has excellent dimensional stability and maintains its shape under changing temperature conditions. In LG Chem's test, the product can prevent the flame spread caused by heat propagation at 1000 ° C for more than 10 minutes, which is 10 times longer than ordinary plastics.
Thermal runaway is the main cause of electric vehicle battery fire. Various pressure factors will lead to the accumulation of heat in the battery unit. When the battery cell exceeds its temperature threshold, fire will occur due to short circuit caused by overcharge and excessive discharge. As lithium reacts violently with water, the resulting fire is difficult to extinguish. Applying LG Chem's new engineering plastics products to battery components will benefit drivers and passengers, who will have more time to evacuate the vehicle in the event of battery damage and overheating.
The commercial production target of new products is to start in 2023, which is consistent with the needs and schedule of customers. The company is currently obtaining patents in South Korea, the United States and some European markets.