Envalior presents at VDI Plastics in Automotive Engineering Congress

• First large-scale production application for hollow-profile hybrid technology
• Miniature high-speed ball bearings reduce the weight and cost of electric motors
• Composite for large battery housings passes thermal runaway tests
• Customized polyphthalamide compounds for FAKRA connectors
• Electrolyte additive increases thermostability and durability of lithium-ion cells
• Focus on sustainable materials with a small carbon footprint

Düsseldorf, June 15, 2023 – “Through our innovations, we want to make vehicles lighter, safer, and more powerful. A particular focus here is on increasing the use of sustainable materials based on recycled or bio-based raw materials, which not only reduce the carbon footprint of the application but also promote the establishment of resource-conserving material cycles,” says Julian Haspel, head of the e-Powertrain team at Envalior.

Lightweight and torsion-resistant

One event highlight from Envalior will be the world’s first series-production part manufactured using hollow-profile hybrid technology. The front-end support was developed in collaboration with the Chinese system supplier Dongfang Jiangsu and replaces a welded metal construction. “This component is proof that our new lightweight technology is already in production,” says Dr. MatthiasTheunissen, Project Manager Lightweight at Envalior. The hollow-profile hybrid technology is an advancement of plastic-metal composite technology and uses hollow metal profiles instead of steel or aluminum sheets. This results in components that are about 20-30 percent lighter while also having increased torsion resistance and dimensional stability. Major potential uses for hollow-profile hybrid technology include the production of components like highly integrated instrument panel crossbeams. Dr. Theunissen will present this new technology and the mass-produced part in more detail at the congress on Thursday, June 22, at 9:30 a.m. in a presentation titled “From Idea to Series Production: New Hollow-Profile Hybrids Enabled by Polyamides with High Flowability.”

High resistance to thermal, dynamic, and mechanical stress

Examples of a material innovation for the lightweight design of electric motors are the various Stanyl® polyamide 46 compounds from Envalior. They can withstand the extreme thermal, dynamic, and mechanical stresses that high-speed ball bearing housings must endure. “The housings can be designed to be extremely small and thin-walled and are perfect for miniature ball bearings that run at speeds up to 30,000 rpm with low torque,” says Dr. Tamim Sidiki, Global Marketing Director of Mobility at Envalior. Envalior will display one such bearing housing at the congress in Mannheim.

Alternative to steel and aluminum

Another highlight from Envalior is a new, continuous-fiber-reinforced composite marketed under the Tepex® brand. “It passes market-standard thermal runaway tests for the batteryfor housings in electric vehicles on test specimens less than two millimeters thick, making it a lightweight alternative to materials like steel or aluminum for battery housings,” says Haspel. The tests simulate the extreme stresses to which battery housings are subjected if battery cells catch fire. Envalior also dedicates significant time to testing the feasibility of injection-molding large-format battery housings as an alternative to compression molding. One approach is to use large Tepex® blanks as bases for low-profile housings. “This allows for reduced injection pressure and the use of smaller injection-molding machines with much lower clamping forces, resulting in competitive manufacturing costs,” says Haspel. These studies will also be presented in the talk “Engineering plastics as enablers for next-generation HV battery systems,” to be delivered at the congress by Envalior’s Julian Haspel and Dr. Christopher Höfs on June 21 at 5 p.m.

Unlimited storage, unlimited color options

A real highlight at Envalior’s booth will be the vibrant range of FAKRA connectors for connectivity applications like navigation systems, antennas, and advanced driver assistance system sensors. The connectors are made from ForTii® ACE. These polyphthalamide compounds offer the low moisture absorption and color and dimensional stability typical of polyesters, together with the high-quality mechanical properties and unlimited dyeing capability of polyamides. The compounds feature long-term thermal stability up to 180°C as well as outstanding tracking resistance and dielectric strength. “As far as we know, these are the only polyamides in the world that meet the JEDEC MSL1 standard. This means that the compounds and the components made from them can be stored indefinitely without any special packaging needed to protect them from moisture,” says Sidiki. The product lineup also offers halogen-free, flame-retardant versions and versions that prevent electrical corrosion on metal contacts.

Longer service life, protection against thermal runaway

Manufacturers of electric vehicles generally prefer battery cells with high energy density so they can reduce weight with fewer cells. The problem, however, is that these cells are more susceptible to thermal runaway. But Stanyl® SN-PURE electrolyte additive from Envalior offers a solution. Even at concentrations as low as 0.5 up to about 5 percent, the succinonitrile forms a protective layer on the cathode that thermally stabilizes the cells, keeps the cell capacity high, and prevents the formation of hazardous gases, even after many charge/discharge cycles. “With an all-European supply chain, we are among the world’s largest producers of the additive. Thanks to its high purity and very low ion content and residual moisture, it is more effective than other succinonitriles and also adiponitriles, which significantly reduces the risk of costly electric vehicle battery recall campaigns,” says Sidiki.

On the road to a circular economy and climate neutrality

By 2030, Envalior aims to include bio-based and recycled product versions throughout its entire portfolio to establish sustainable material cycles and achieve climate neutrality. One example is the new Tepex® variants made from polyamide based on castor oil – aand flax fibers. These semi-finished products are ideal for structural lightweight construction of components such as seat shells and battery holders. Other bio-based materials include EcoPaXX® polyamide 4,10 compounds, which are also derived from castor oil. These can be used to produce holders, thermal management parts, and visible covers. Examples of circular materials include Durethan® ECO and Akulon® RePurposed polyamide 6 product lines. The latter are developed from recycled materials sourced from old fishing nets, which are polluting the oceans, and can be used to manufacture parts like cable harness clamps. The Durethan® ECO range includes compounds reinforced with glass fibers made from industrial glass waste. For instance, the ultra-reinforced Durethan® ECOBKV60H2.0EF can be used for structural parts such as front-ends, A-pillars, and battery trays.

The VDI “Plastics in Automotive Engineering” (PIAE) congress will be held on June 21-22, 2023, at the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim.

About Envalior

Envalior is a global leader in Engineering Materials with over 4,000 employees worldwide. It was established in 2023 through the merger of Lanxess Performance Materials and DSM Engineering Materials. With a long track record of customer-driven innovation, Envalior specializes in developing sustainable and high-performance material solutions. Focus markets include Automotive, New Mobility, Electronics & Electrical, and Consumer Goods. For more information, visit www.envalior.com.​​

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