innovation
innovation
Silicone is Innovation
We are focusing on the development of silicones with unprecedented performance, including the creation of new raw materials.
Silicones for E-Mobility Solutions
Silicones for e-mobility
WACKER silicones are the ideal materials for use in extreme conditions, such as those found in automotive applications, especially e-mobility. Whether in electric motors, power electronics, displays, cables and plugs, fuel cells, batteries or sensors: our high-performance silicones have exceptional properties that enable our customers to secure pole position in their particular market.
Our silicones protect sensitive electronics and support thermal management. This enables the key topics – electrification, connectivity and autonomous driving – to be implemented reliably and economically. Silicones from WACKER guarantee high reliability and a long service life. In addition, flame-retardant silicone coatings make it possible to use lightweight laminates to separate individual compartments in the car, e.g. to separate the battery from the passenger compartment.
Solutions to a Hot Issue
solution to heat
The automotive industry has set the development of electromobility at the top of its agenda. However, there are still obstacles to be overcome prior to mass production. One burning question is: How do you protect sensitive electronics in vehicles against overheating?
The electric motor, traction battery and power electronics in electric cars work with high electrical outputs and generate heat during operation. If they overheat, this can lead to the aging and premature failure of the components. To prevent this, the released heat must be rapidly and effectively dissipated.
For thermal management, silicones are the perfect material. They can efficiently dissipate heat – even from complicated shapes – and they maintain their properties for a long period of time over a broad range of temperatures (-50 °C to +180 °C, special grades up to +230 °C). They can also withstand mechanical stress, vibrations and temperature fluctuations and are therefore ideal for meeting the extreme demands in electric cars.
Thermal Management in Batteries
Gap Filler
Electric vehicles predominantly use lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as energy storage. These are usually installed below the passenger compartment and require an active thermal heat management. A thermally conductive gap filler is needed to provide thermal coupling between the battery modules and the heat-dissipation system. It must be aging resistant to prevent premature battery failure and must lend itself to rapid application to large surfaces.
With the SEMICOSIL® 96x TC series, WACKER has developed a range of thermally conductive gap fillers that are not only cost-effective and easy to process, but also offer safe functionality and high durability.
Potting Compounds
ELASTOSIL® CM 185 has been specifically developed for use as a potting compound for the vent and cell contacting system of lithium-ion batteries. The product falls into the category of RTV-2 silicone rubber compounds, i.e. a two-component silicone material that vulcanizes at room temperature. The compound is pourable and can be applied by dispensing equipment.
ELASTOSIL® CM 185 is intended for application to the sensitive vent and cell contacting system of a battery pack. This self-adhesive condensation-curing formulation yields an electrically and thermally insulating elastomer with optimized mechanical properties. When used for potting, it creates a protective layer but does not impair the functionality of the vent.
The second product highlight is ELASTOSIL® CM 181. This addition-curing RTV-2 silicone rubber compound rapidly crosslinks to an elastomer at room temperature. The compound has a low viscosity and is very easy to pour. Formulated with a lightweight filler, ELASTOSIL® CM 181 has a defined pore structure that lowers the density of the cured rubber and renders it compressible. The silicone compound also contains a heat-absorbing filler.
This property set renders ELASTOSIL® CM 181 the ideal candidate for filling the gaps between cells in the battery pack or module. Potting serves to isolate the cells electrically and thermally while also providing mechanical support and a protective function. As a result, vibrations, shocks, and thermal expansion of the cells can be absorbed and counterbalanced, without the cell assembly being placed under mechanical stress. In addition, the thermally insulating silicone elastomer hinders further heat transfer via the side-walls of the cells. Potting the spaces between the cells with ELASTOSIL® CM 181 thus ensures more reliable battery-cell operation.
Silicones from WACKER for Electric Vehicles (EVs)
WACKER silicones are the epitome of reliability. Silicones safely dissipate excess heat. They are available in flame retardant formulations and withstand vibrations, chemicals, and oils. In addition, they hardly age at all.
See for yourself what WACKER can offer you in the field of e-Mobility:
Battery Assembly & Safety
- Thermal Management with Gap Fillers
- Sealing & Bonding
- Encapsulation
Power Electronics
- Thermal Management with Pottings
- Sealing & Bonding
Fuel Cell
- Sealing of Bipolar Plate,
- Encapsulation of Auxiliary Components
Sensor/ECU
- Sealing & Bonding
- Encapsulation
- Thermal Management
High-Voltage Cables
- Electrical Insulation
- Heat and Flame Resistance
Cable Connectors
- Sealing
- Electrical Insulation
Optical Bonding from WACKER
– the Silicone Solution
Optical adhesive silicone
Optical Bonding from WACKER – the Silicone Solution
The market and demand for optically bonded displays is growing at a furious pace. In smartphones, tablets, automobiles, machinery, medical, and outdoor applications, displays dominate our daily lives, acting as the crucial interface between us and technology. This makes it all the more important for us to be able to read the information on the display clearly, anytime and anywhere, without annoying reflections. The keyword here is optical bonding. WACKER is responding to surging demand for customer-friendly, safe and sustainable solutions by developing innovations based on silicone.
Optical bonding is a way of joining the touch screen of the display to the LCD module beneath it in such a way as to eliminate the air gap created between the layers during the production process. This air between the two layers causes the irksome reflections that occur in strong daylight and make the displays (e.g. LCDs and OLEDs) hard to read. This is not only inconvenient but, depending on where the display is being used, can also be a safety issue.
Silicones from WACKER – 75 years of experience from the world’s second-largest silicones producer. The material’s unique quality properties, such as heat resistance, cold resistance, UV resistance, flexibility, reliability and extreme durability, have proved to be a revelation in many areas of application and are also ideal for optical bonding.
Optical bonding solutions from WACKER are based on silicones that are custom-designed for use in all kinds of indoor and outdoor displays. A silicone gel creates an airtight seal between the two layers and eliminates a good two-thirds of all reflections. And it also protects the internal workings from dust and moisture while boosting the mechanical strength of the displays.Catalog for “Advanced silicone for automobiles”
In Germany, a leader in automotive innovation, WACKER has been dedicated to the development of silicone materials for automotive applications over many years. Functional silicone materials are now recognized as indispensable components in modern vehicles.
Wacker AsahiKasei Silicones introduces and supplies high-quality, high-performance silicone products—proven in Europe—to the Japanese market, continually meeting the stringent requirements of the automotive industry.
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