506: Developing of Thermo-Responsive Coatings for Enhanced Battery Safety: Assessment and Routes to Sustainable Solutions

Developing of Thermo-Responsive Coatings for Enhanced Battery Safety: Assessment and Routes to Sustainable Solutions

Van-Kien Hoang^a,b,*, Daniel Bautista^a,b, Gabriel Ferdigg^c, Sandra Schlögl^a,b
a Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Sauraugasse 1, 8700 Leoben, Austria
^b Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, Otto Glöckel-Straße 2, 8700 Leoben, Austria
^c Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH, Inffeldgasse 21a, 8010 Graz, Austria
*e-mail: van.kien.hoang@pccl.at 

Research into enhancing battery systems for e-mobility continues to be a priority due to the numerous accidents attributed to battery failures, which can result from factors such as overcharging, mechanical damage, short circuits, or external heat, potentially leading to overheating and in worse case, explosions. While recent investigations have focused on preventive safety measures, such as developing fire-resistant materials, safety devices, and optimizing battery operations,¹ this study introduces a precautionary strategy utilizing a thermo-responsive polymer coating that emits a tracer gas (TG) at well-defined temperatures. This polymer matrix includes a thiol component, which is cleaved and released in a gas phase when an overheating incident occurs. Eventually, metal oxide (MOx) sensors will detect it and consequently trigger an alarm about the dangerous state of the batteries (Figure 1a). The coating's sustainability is enhanced by its ability to be reshaped after releasing the gas due to the nature of its network based on dynamic covalent bonds. Moreover, it can be recycled by reintroducing the thiol compound into the polymer matrix. The successful recycling was tested through various analyses, including chemical structure examination, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and evaluation of gas release performance, with the restoration of the tracer gas content after recycling cycles being successfully demonstrated (Figure 1b).

Figure 1:(a) Precautionary safety system working mechanism in batteries. (b) TGA curves for coatings with and without TG, including virgin and recycled coatings

References:

¹ Chombo, P. V.; Laoonual, Y. A review of safety strategies of a Li-ion battery. Journal of Power Sources, 2020, 478: 228649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228649.