Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global coatings company, will unveil two innovative products at The Battery Show North America, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, technical service and performance in energy storage solutions and the automotive industry value chain. The new products, Alesta® e-PRO FG Black and Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray, which are part of Axalta’s broad portfolio of battery coatings, have been engineered for extreme heat protection and better electrical insulation in EV battery applications.
“While electric vehicles are statistically far less likely to catch fire than gasoline-powered vehicles, high-profile incidents and misinformation continue to impact public perception,” said Dr. Robert Roop, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Axalta. “These breakthrough products demonstrate the amazing power of coatings to rise to new challenges and reflect Axalta‘s proven history of innovating products that impact the world for the better.”
Even as electric vehicles are growing in popularity, concerns remain among consumers about their safety, specifically around batteries. Thermal runaway in EV batteries remains a rare yet serious risk that can lead to fires, explosions, and structural failure. When one battery cell overheats, it can trigger a chain reaction, rapidly releasing extreme heat, flames, and smoke at temperatures exceeding 1200°C.
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When applied as part of a validated OEM battery system, these new coatings may contribute to improved thermal stability and electrical insulation performance.
Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray: Superior Electrical Insulation
Alesta® e-PRO Dielectric Gray is a premium epoxy-based powder coating designed to provide robust electrical insulation in high-voltage environments such as electric vehicle battery packs and stationary energy storage systems. This coating delivers excellent hipot test yield, improving reliability.
Advancing EV Safety and Adoption
Alesta e-PRO products have undergone rigorous testing for electrical insulation and thermal protection. The Dielectric Gray has been tested for UL 94 V0 and IEC 60243-1 amongst several others. The FG Black product has been tested for direct flame exposure, single-cell thermal runaway and UL 2596 TaG tests. When exposed to direct flame at 1200°C, Axalta’s Alesta® e-PRO FG Black produces no smoke and does not catch fire during thermal events.
“Our customers are looking for technologies that can withstand extreme environments and support their efforts to build safe and reliable battery systems,” said Dr. Roop. “These new coatings reflect our commitment to innovation and to partnering with customers to meet the challenges of next-generation mobility.”
SOURCE: GlobeNewswire