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Battery thermal barriers

New materials from carbon nanotubes to intumescent polymers are opening up innovative ways of providing thermal management in e-mobility battery packs, as Nick Flaherty finds out. From mica sheets to thermal gap fillers and aerogels, there are now more options than ever for managing heat flow through a battery pack and powertrain, and for mitigating the effects of thermal runaway.

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Battery separator materials

Peter Donaldson examines the essential properties of battery separator materials. Every lithium-ion cell has a separator between the electrodes, an often overlooked but fundamental component with three key functions.

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Battery cooling

As batteries pack more energy into a given mass and volume while charging speeds increase, engineers face growing challenges in managing heat dissipation efficiently and safely. In wrestling with this problem, they are are reshaping thermal management

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Battery pack materials

New materials are fighting to reduce the weight of the battery enclosure in an EV, as Nick Flaherty explains. Around 80% of battery pack enclosures today are constructed from aluminium, with the rest built from steel.

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Fasteners for EV assembly

Peter Donaldson assesses the relative strengths of the fastening techniques used in EV fabrication. Nuts, bolts and screws with standardised sizes and thread pitches were one of the most important technological developments in the history of manufacturing. Without them – and the wider field of fasteners that they represent – it is more

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HV measurement

Higher voltages mean more power but also more test challenges, and Nick Flaherty has been looking into the latest trends in powertrain testing. High-voltage (HV) testing is an important part of the development process for an e-mobility powertrain.

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Motor materials

Materials are as fundamental to e-motors as they are to every other engineered artifact, and selecting the right material for each application is crucial in any motor development project. Powering a broad range of vehicles with diverse duty cycles and operating environments, presents multifaceted challenges and material trade-offs.

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Cell-to-chassis

Moving to cell-to-chassis architecture means significant changes to EV structures and materials, finds Nick Flaherty Manufacturers of electric vehicles (EVs) are placing increased emphasis on pack design optimisation. Moving from modules to packs and even to direct integration with the chassis can promote lighter weight,

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Battery leak testing

Peter Donaldson delves into the world of battery leak testing. With the exception of old, British motorbike engines – it was said that if they’re not leaking, there’s no oil in them – leaks from anything are usually a sign of a problem. The escape of liquids such as coolant and electrolyte are undesirable, and the emission of gases can be the first warning sign of a thermal runaway.

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Motor testing

Peter Donaldson examines various means of testing electric motors. Although mechanically simple, compared with internal combustion engines, the electric motors forming the heart of the propulsion system of EVs of all kinds must go through intensive testing. This involves the use of many technologies and procedures to probe performance, efficiency, reliability and safety at every stage of manufacture and integration.