At The Battery Show North America, Ascend Performance Materials will feature its new flame-retardant nylons for EV safety applications and its Trinohex Ultra electrolyte additive, which improves lithium-ion battery safety, extends cycle life and boosts performance.
Ascend, a fully integrated producer of performance materials, will showcase its Trinohex Ultra electrolyte additive; now REACH-registered in Europe and China.
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In third-party testing, Trinohex Ultra demonstrates superior cathode protection across cathode and electrolyte chemistries. This protection has been shown to reduce harmful gas generation, improve capacity retention and lower impedance growth, especially in extreme conditions.
“Battery safety, performance, cost and material availability are the biggest obstacles to mass adoption of e-mobility and renewable energies,” said Mr. McNeece. “Trinohex Ultra is a drop-in solution to these challenges and can be easily integrated into existing battery chemistries and manufacturing processes.”
Ascend will also debut two new polyamide technologies in its Starflam® FR portfolio: X-Protect and color-stable orange.
Starflam X-Protect is a crosslinkable, flame-retardant nylon 6,6 designed to withstand EV battery thermal runaway. Tested in accordance with SAE AS5127 (a test originally designed for aerospace applications), Starflam X-Protect was rated fireproof to 1100°C for 15 minutes.
“In open-flame tests, Starflam X-protect outperforms standard FR nylon and even aluminum,” said Ian van Duijvenboode, Ascend’s e-mobility director. “In the event of a catastrophic battery failure, that added protection provides the time needed to ensure all passengers remain safe.”
Additionally, Ascend has developed a color-stable orange for its Starflam 525K for high-voltage connectors and cables. The new orange masterbatch ensures the material retains its color over 5,000 hours of heat aging without sacrificing performance.
“As EVs become more prevalent and age, the technicians and first responders working on these vehicles need to know where high-voltage systems are,” said Mr. van Duijvenboode. “Our orange will stay orange well into the operational life of the vehicle, clearly indicating areas of high-voltage.”