This composite passes thermal-runaway tests
Tepex is a new thermoplastic-composite brand that, even with very low-test specimen thicknesses, passes the standard thermal runaway tests (photo) for electric vehicle (EV) battery housings. The high resistance of this composite to the extreme conditions of a battery-cell fire can be attributed to the non-flammable, long and continuous fibers that reinforce the material in a multi-layer structure. The structural material is capable of withstanding the extreme pressures, temperatures well in excess of 1,000°C and bombardment by abrasive hot particles that occur during the thermal runaway of battery cells, the company says. The new composite can pass the standard tests — such as the battery enclosure thermal runaway (BETR) test to UL 2596 — with test specimens having a thicknesses of just 2 mm — or even less, the company says. — Envalior GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany