As the switchover to electric vehicles picks up speed in the automotive industry, the expectations from plastic materials continue to be steered by component requirements. What electric vehicle manufacturers expect from plastic materials is that their characteristics can be preserved for a long time of period, ensuring safety. For this reason, it is very important, in the context of right component-right material selection, that one should consider the critical features of any final application when selecting materials. The primary characteristics required for charging stations, as well as for under-hood parts such as battery management systems, high-voltage connectors, brackets, etc., are the maintenance of mechanical properties under heat, consistency of electrical properties with voltage level, and resistance to fire and chemicals. It has been increasingly more common to see polypropylene (PP)-based materials being used in such precision applications considering their lightness, price and availability. Lower carbon footprint offered by PP-based materials than other polymers used in electric vehicle applications is one of their distinctive characteristics. Powered by its experience in e-mobility applications, eurotec® is ready to offer PP-based grades to its business partners in line with application requirements.
eurotec® Codes at Renault PMR 2023
Suitable for use in under-hood applications such as brackets, clips, etc., our 30% glass fiber reinforced code Tecolen® HP10 GR30 NL HS (PPHP, 30% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, naturel) maintains its mechanical properties up to 10,000 hours at 130°C. Additionally, its mechanical properties are observed not to weaken up to 3,000 hours at tests carried out at 150 °C for under-hood parts that require high thermal resistance. Again, our codes Tecolen® HP20 GR20 NL HS (PPHP, 20% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, naturel) and Tecolen® HP20 GR20 BK001 HS (PPHP, 20% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, black) that are both 20% glass fiber reinforced have been featured in PMR 2023 in accordance with Renault's material spec requirements.
Orange Solutions for Critical Applications
It is very critical for safety that the plastic materials used in live battery equipment, such as live busbars, connectors, etc., and charging stations have a class-V0 fire resistance and a high comparative tracking index (CTI) value. For this reason, the use of halogen-free flame-retardant additives is of great importance. In addition, the plastic material having suitable mechanical and thermal properties for the intended use, as well as favorable fluidity for the design and thickness of a part, is one of the critical parameters that need to be taken into account for the quality and life of the part. eurotec® is ready to offer solutions with the right impact strength, fluidity and thermal resistance in accordance with part requirements. Our halogen-free flame-retardant copolymer PP- and homopolymer PP-based grades are developed to meet different material requirements thanks to their melt flow index (MFI), Izod notched impact strength, and heat resistance values under different loads (Table 1). Additionally, our orange solutions required by original equipment manufacturers for increased under-hood visibility are also ready for use in critical applications.
Table 1: Our flame-retardant PP solutions for electric vehicle applications
Polypropylene Solutions to E-Mobility
Polypropylene Solutions to E-Mobility
As the switchover to electric vehicles picks up speed in the automotive industry, the expectations from plastic materials continue to be steered by component requirements. What electric vehicle manufacturers expect from plastic materials is that their characteristics can be preserved for a long time of period, ensuring safety. For this reason, it is very important, in the context of right component-right material selection, that one should consider the critical features of any final application when selecting materials. The primary characteristics required for charging stations, as well as for under-hood parts such as battery management systems, high-voltage connectors, brackets, etc., are the maintenance of mechanical properties under heat, consistency of electrical properties with voltage level, and resistance to fire and chemicals. It has been increasingly more common to see polypropylene (PP)-based materials being used in such precision applications considering their lightness, price and availability. Lower carbon footprint offered by PP-based materials than other polymers used in electric vehicle applications is one of their distinctive characteristics. Powered by its experience in e-mobility applications, eurotec® is ready to offer PP-based grades to its business partners in line with application requirements.
eurotec® Codes at Renault PMR 2023
Suitable for use in under-hood applications such as brackets, clips, etc., our 30% glass fiber reinforced code Tecolen® HP10 GR30 NL HS (PPHP, 30% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, naturel) maintains its mechanical properties up to 10,000 hours at 130°C. Additionally, its mechanical properties are observed not to weaken up to 3,000 hours at tests carried out at 150 °C for under-hood parts that require high thermal resistance. Again, our codes Tecolen® HP20 GR20 NL HS (PPHP, 20% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, naturel) and Tecolen® HP20 GR20 BK001 HS (PPHP, 20% glass fiber reinforced, heat stabilized, black) that are both 20% glass fiber reinforced have been featured in PMR 2023 in accordance with Renault's material spec requirements.
Orange Solutions for Critical Applications
It is very critical for safety that the plastic materials used in live battery equipment, such as live busbars, connectors, etc., and charging stations have a class-V0 fire resistance and a high comparative tracking index (CTI) value. For this reason, the use of halogen-free flame-retardant additives is of great importance. In addition, the plastic material having suitable mechanical and thermal properties for the intended use, as well as favorable fluidity for the design and thickness of a part, is one of the critical parameters that need to be taken into account for the quality and life of the part. eurotec® is ready to offer solutions with the right impact strength, fluidity and thermal resistance in accordance with part requirements. Our halogen-free flame-retardant copolymer PP- and homopolymer PP-based grades are developed to meet different material requirements thanks to their melt flow index (MFI), Izod notched impact strength, and heat resistance values under different loads (Table 1). Additionally, our orange solutions required by original equipment manufacturers for increased under-hood visibility are also ready for use in critical applications.
Table 1: Our flame-retardant PP solutions for electric vehicle applications