Henkel Adhesive Technologies Drives Electric Vehicle Technologies

Electric vehicles ‏(EVs) are rapidly increasing in popularity as the world transitions to e-mobility. Development cycles for EVs are also accelerating, and the time for a technology to reach the market has been tightened. Therefore, delivering efficient solutions that can speed up the process is vital for many Original Equipment Manufacturers ‏(OEMS) and battery manufacturers.

Running parallel to this is the need for solutions that can address some of the issues that customers often worry about. There are often concerns surrounding sustainability, cost and safety for both battery manufacturers and EV OEMS. To tackle this, Henkel has a Battery Engineering Centre ‏(BEC), located in Dusseldorf, which caters to global markets, including the U. K’s. The BEC assists in providing a range of solutions with a world-class e-mobility team. 

Henkel also addresses customer concerns by providing state-of-the-art engineering and solutions to manufacturers and OEMS in the UK and beyond. With fully in-house battery testing capabilities, simulation, and modelling which enables OEMS as well as battery manufacturers to speed up development cycles without compromising on safety, performance or sustainability, ensuring optimal design and innovation. Henkel adhesives supplied to EV OEMS and battery manufacturers are also rigorously tested, assisting in EV performance and innovation in the industry.

Adhesives in EVs and Lightweighting

Henkel’s adhesive solutions are plentiful in an EV’s ecosystem. Battery cells and modules include Henkel solutions such as conductive electrode coatings, and thermally conductive adhesives amongst other solutions. For battery pack assembly, Henkel solutions include liquid gasketing, battery safety coatings, and structural adhesives. This amongst many other Henkel solutions contribute to optimised battery performance and design. UK-based EV manufacturers utilise many of these solutions to contribute to the robustness of their EV vehicles!

Henkel’s adhesives contribute to lightweighting, the process of making a product lighter without compromising on safety and functionality. Electric vehicles are approximately 30% heavier than gas-powered vehicles because of the battery. An EV battery is also much larger and extends lengthwise in an EV vehicle’s body. Henkel’s adhesive solutions assist in this process as they can help reduce the weight of an EV. This can help increase driving range as well, elements which customers value in EVs.

Henkel’s Debonding Innovations

While Henkel adhesives ensure strong bonds in an EV’s ecosystem, it is equally important that debonding can occur without damage to the battery. Henkel’s debonding innovations ensure that debonding can occur gently so that sensitive battery cells can remain intact in the process. This innovation makes battery repair as well as disassembly hassle-free. Instead of discarding a battery, Henkel’s debonding technologies can extend the shelf life of an EV battery, enhance sustainability and reduce costs.

In addition to this, Henkel unveiled Path.Era, a digital battery passport co-founded by Henkel and other innovative industry partners. Path.Era is connected to the Catena-X initiative, an initiative from the German automotive industry to create an open collaborative data ecosystem for the automotive industry to enhance efficiency. Path.Era creates transparency, allowing batteries to be traced across the value chain.

Henkel’s EV Battery Solutions

Batteries are tested and run through simulations where they can be tested for heating and cooling during charging, acceleration, and different climate conditions. Materials such as gap fillers are analysed to maximise safety as well as prevent any thermal risk. This is all to service the final optimal design which prioritises reliability, safety, and performance.

Additionally, simulations are run to minimise the risk of fire and battery overheating. Simulations are also run by experts at Henkel to observe and analyse material response to movements such as vibration and crush. With Henkel’s modelling, potential failures can be identified and mitigated for battery longevity and performance. This is something highly useful for stakeholders such as end users who seek to have EVs that they can rely on, maximising performance and safety. 

Material cards created by Henkel contain data on the properties of the materials present and used in battery packs. This enables engineers to accurately model the batteries’ performance under different conditions as they can access the data on the material cards. Modelling can contribute to more optimised battery design, structural robustness, and thermal management.

Henkel’s Innovative Battery Engineering Centre ‏(BEC) Concept

The BEC operates as a centre of innovation, supporting Henkel all around the world, whilst being strongly bonded with the Henkel network. Customer concerns and needs in the UK and beyond are considered to help Henkel innovate to deliver the best possible solutions for customers. With the support of Henkel, EV OEMs and battery manufacturers in the UK as well as the global market can benefit from innovative world-class solutions!

Henkel’s in-house TISAX-certified BEC amplifies innovations for EV batteries so that they are more sustainable, safer, more affordable, and more optimised for the customer as well as the manufacturer. It contributes to EV technology at the development stage. The first Centre has been opened in Dusseldorf, with two labs that are well-equipped to develop EV technologies for the next generation. The BEC also partners with other research centres and has a team of EV battery specialists who are dedicated to project acceleration in service of the highly dynamic and fast-paced EV market. The BEC contributes to Henkel’s sprawling innovative global network.

The facility is well-equipped with an appropriate setup for EV battery disassembly and assembly, with digital systems that mirror production environments that exist in real life. In addition to this, simulation and modelling assist in bypassing long traditional development cycles. Materials are tested under different conditions; with material cards filled with valuable data provided to customers for prototyping. These simulation and modelling systems create EV battery digital duplicates to digitally test the batteries with the goal of finding the ideal mixture of battery performance, affordability, sustainability, and safety. Once the ideal mix is found, this is further tested in the Battery Test Centre.

The Battery Test Centre can analyse battery performance under various conditions with the team using procedures such as temperature cycling to validate prediction findings from previous simulations that have been done. This is easily integrated with the simulation team. The Test Centre has quarantine zones for protecting against external elements, partners that can assist with mitigating fire risk, and the ability to store full battery systems.

Henkel will further expand its BEC concept around the globe with two additional facilities in the USA and in China soon to strengthen the company’s e-mobility innovation reach. This can therefore contribute to speedier, EV innovation and allow for further global collaboration.

Henkel’s presence in the EV sphere exemplifies their innovative drive in the world of EV technology as it adapts to the rapidly accelerating push towards electrification and shorter development cycles. The solutions that Henkel provides keep in customer concerns, addressing them through continuous testing, and a drive to find the best possible solution for EVs.

Read more about Henkel’s EV solutions here