Karen McIntyre, Editor08.01.23
As the automotive industry continues to transition to more electric vehicles, demand for battery separator materials is expected to expand greatly in upcoming years. These battery separators are vital to battery performance acting as an isolating layer between the cathodes and anodes in the battery. What type of material and what type of fiber is chosen to achieve this function is dependent on a range of factors —like permeability, porosity, thickness, moisture absorption, electrolytic absorption, swelling shape and dimensional accuracy, chemical resistance and more—and nonwoven fabrics are gaining preference in the category.
While battery separators were once made from wood fibers and later glass fiber mats, polyurethane and rubber, polyolefin based materials formed by nonwovens producers have become preferred thanks to their insulating properties, high mechanical strength and excellent electrochemical stability. More recently biopolymer fibers are becoming favorable thanks to their higher sustainability profiles.
As more vehicles globally are being produced using lithium or ion batteries, the market for separator materials continues to grow. According to Research and Markets, demand for the material is growing about 10% per year and should reach $11.5 billion by 2028.
Beyond electric vehicle adoption worldwide, growth in battery separators are benefiting from the implementation of various government initiatives focusing on minimizing carbon emissions, which is acting as another growth-inducing factor. Apart from this, the introduction of lithium-ion batteries layered with polyolefins and ceramic oxides that are stable, safe, and aid in reducing shrinkage and particle penetration are providing an impetus.
In response to this growth, nonwovens manufacturers continue to invest in new technology and expand their technological scope.
“This market is really picking up and is showing some nice growth,” says CEO Frank Heislitz. “It is somewhat being helped by government legislation but the strongest demand is in the handling devices like fork lifts for example and we are seeing new projects in the heavy truck areas.”
Heislitz expects this to become a global business with the European Union taking a leading role, as government regulations focused on CO2 reduction continue to expand and impact the transportation industry.“In addition to adding capacity, we are also working on developments to make fuel cell technology more attractive,” he adds.
Last year, Freudenberg introduced battery pack liquid absorbers, which are core elements of mobile and stationary lithium-ion energy storage systems. These absorbers make battery systems safer by capturing and storing unwanted liquids inside the packs quickly and reliably. With adjustable absorption capacity and geometries, battery pack liquid absorbers ensure long-lasting battery packs.
Freudenberg’s Battery Pack Liquid Absorbers are absorbent nonwoven pads endowed with fast liquid take-up and high retention capacity. Even in an emergency, leaking coolants are quickly absorbed and reliably retained.
Ahlstrom’s fiber-based material is used as a separator in an innovation that withstands temperature elevation on the inside of a battery that ultimately causes fire and explosion accidents of LIB’s.
LIB’s are considered to be one of the most important energy storage technologies, and battery development is considered to be a key component of an electric future and batteries are a key focus for engineering research. As the energy density of batteries increases, battery safety becomes even more critical. LIB’s contain a flammable electrolyte that has led to explosions and fires if damaged or incorrectly charged.
The safety challenge of the Lithium-ion cell could be solved by using a fiber-based separator. The fiber-based separator is thermally stable and hence solves the safety challenge at its core. The solution is expected to provide the same electrical protection as a fuse on the inside of each battery.
Last year, Ahlstrom signed a marketing license with Soteria Battery Innovation Group (BIG), allowing the company to proceed with the technical ramp-up of fiber-based separator solutions for the lithium-ion battery industry. The agreement is an important step in the commercialization of Ahlstrom’s solutions to the energy storage market.
Fiber-based materials are widely used in energy storage devices and thanks to its extensive expertise in cellulose, microglass and specialty nonwoven materials, Ahlstrom is developing a complete range of solutions to its customers under the FortiCell product platform.
The FortiCell range of products consists of an absorbent glass mat (AGM) separator, a glass mat reinforcement for film separator, and a large spectrum of pasting products. The company’s flexible asset model approach allows it to pick from a large array of technologies and deliver the best performance and quality for a specific application.
Ahlstrom started up a state-of-the-art AGM line to develop these products in Turin, Italy, early last year. The investment quadrupled existing micro glass capacity.
Ahlstrom’s fiber-based separator demonstrates temperature stability and resistance at 200 oC and above, allowing more aggressive and faster drying conditions and the possibility to operate batteries at a higher temperature window beyond any temperature level achieved with current solutions. The separator also demonstrates a much better wettability than standard films, which allows faster filling of the cells and reduces the risk of delamination of the separator.
“This investment will more than double our capacity to serve the global market and is an exciting opportunity to strengthen our on-the-ground presence in India. This growth will enable H&V to further support the global transition to clean and sustainable energy storage solutions,” says Nick Starita, president, Energy Solutions with H&V.
H&V manufactures Hi-Sep battery separators in Mysuru which are integral in industrial and automotive applications. Hi-Sep technology also serves a niche in applications such as electric rickshaws, back-up power and industrial forklifts. Electric rickshaws are popular across Asia and are a growing form of transportation.
In line with H&V’s vision to provide solutions for “Creating a Cleaner World,” H&V’s investment will expand capacity to manufacture Hi-Sep battery separators and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) separators for automotive and industrial applications. Further, the investment will enable production of HEPA filtration media for regional customers.
H&V’s Hi-Sep battery separator materials are made from synthetic and glass fibers that outperform phenolic resin, polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) separators in VRLA gel batteries. According to H&V, it is one of the only globally available VRLA gel separators that can be supplied in various configurations to include rolled goods, leafs, sleeves, and with or without glass mat. Hi-Sep rolled goods for VRLA gel allows battery manufacturers to increase their battery throughput.
Hi-Sep has demonstrated that it outperforms other separators in VRLA gel batteries and premium flooded lead batteries. Hi-Sep is designed with a high porosity at 70% or more to improve ionic mobility increasing performance. Further, the optimized torturous pores prevent dendritic shorts extending batty life. The Hi-Sep battery separators use close to a non-leachate formula with binders, synthetic fibers, filters and glass fibers. Its unique composition makes it an excellent replacement for other commonly used separator materials, such as PE, PVC, and phenolic resin.
H&V’s Hi-Sep battery separators have supported countless PSOC and deep cycle battery applications for over 10 years. They offer exceptional performance in rugged applications and extreme environments that demand consistent battery performance amidst harsh operational conditions.
Hi-Sep battery separators can be used in a diverse array of battery products found in many Industrial Motive and Reserve Power applications.
While battery separators were once made from wood fibers and later glass fiber mats, polyurethane and rubber, polyolefin based materials formed by nonwovens producers have become preferred thanks to their insulating properties, high mechanical strength and excellent electrochemical stability. More recently biopolymer fibers are becoming favorable thanks to their higher sustainability profiles.
As more vehicles globally are being produced using lithium or ion batteries, the market for separator materials continues to grow. According to Research and Markets, demand for the material is growing about 10% per year and should reach $11.5 billion by 2028.
Beyond electric vehicle adoption worldwide, growth in battery separators are benefiting from the implementation of various government initiatives focusing on minimizing carbon emissions, which is acting as another growth-inducing factor. Apart from this, the introduction of lithium-ion batteries layered with polyolefins and ceramic oxides that are stable, safe, and aid in reducing shrinkage and particle penetration are providing an impetus.
In response to this growth, nonwovens manufacturers continue to invest in new technology and expand their technological scope.
Freudenberg Performance Materials
Freudenberg Performance Materials has been focusing on fuel cell technology for more than two decades and is currently expanding its gas diffusion layer capacity for this market with a €28 million investment in Weinheim, Germany. The investment, which will expand the company’s role in fuel cell technology, follows a €10 million investment two years ago.“This market is really picking up and is showing some nice growth,” says CEO Frank Heislitz. “It is somewhat being helped by government legislation but the strongest demand is in the handling devices like fork lifts for example and we are seeing new projects in the heavy truck areas.”
Heislitz expects this to become a global business with the European Union taking a leading role, as government regulations focused on CO2 reduction continue to expand and impact the transportation industry.“In addition to adding capacity, we are also working on developments to make fuel cell technology more attractive,” he adds.
Last year, Freudenberg introduced battery pack liquid absorbers, which are core elements of mobile and stationary lithium-ion energy storage systems. These absorbers make battery systems safer by capturing and storing unwanted liquids inside the packs quickly and reliably. With adjustable absorption capacity and geometries, battery pack liquid absorbers ensure long-lasting battery packs.
Freudenberg’s Battery Pack Liquid Absorbers are absorbent nonwoven pads endowed with fast liquid take-up and high retention capacity. Even in an emergency, leaking coolants are quickly absorbed and reliably retained.
Ahlstrom
As demand for efficient energy storage solutions increases significantly in the coming years, nonwovens producer Ahlstrom has continued to focus on sustainable energy systems, which are required to transition to electrification.Ahlstrom’s fiber-based material is used as a separator in an innovation that withstands temperature elevation on the inside of a battery that ultimately causes fire and explosion accidents of LIB’s.
LIB’s are considered to be one of the most important energy storage technologies, and battery development is considered to be a key component of an electric future and batteries are a key focus for engineering research. As the energy density of batteries increases, battery safety becomes even more critical. LIB’s contain a flammable electrolyte that has led to explosions and fires if damaged or incorrectly charged.
The safety challenge of the Lithium-ion cell could be solved by using a fiber-based separator. The fiber-based separator is thermally stable and hence solves the safety challenge at its core. The solution is expected to provide the same electrical protection as a fuse on the inside of each battery.
Last year, Ahlstrom signed a marketing license with Soteria Battery Innovation Group (BIG), allowing the company to proceed with the technical ramp-up of fiber-based separator solutions for the lithium-ion battery industry. The agreement is an important step in the commercialization of Ahlstrom’s solutions to the energy storage market.
Fiber-based materials are widely used in energy storage devices and thanks to its extensive expertise in cellulose, microglass and specialty nonwoven materials, Ahlstrom is developing a complete range of solutions to its customers under the FortiCell product platform.
The FortiCell range of products consists of an absorbent glass mat (AGM) separator, a glass mat reinforcement for film separator, and a large spectrum of pasting products. The company’s flexible asset model approach allows it to pick from a large array of technologies and deliver the best performance and quality for a specific application.
Ahlstrom started up a state-of-the-art AGM line to develop these products in Turin, Italy, early last year. The investment quadrupled existing micro glass capacity.
Ahlstrom’s fiber-based separator demonstrates temperature stability and resistance at 200 oC and above, allowing more aggressive and faster drying conditions and the possibility to operate batteries at a higher temperature window beyond any temperature level achieved with current solutions. The separator also demonstrates a much better wettability than standard films, which allows faster filling of the cells and reduces the risk of delamination of the separator.
Hollingsworth & Vose
Hollingsworth & Vose (H&V) is strategically investing in its Mysuru, India plant, doubling manufacturing capacity to produce battery separators that serve the South Asia and Global markets. H&V acquired the facility in 2014, through the purchase of Raman FibreScience Pvt Ltd, a technology company based in Mysuru, India. The facility specializes in developing innovations in fiber-based, wetlaid filtration media and battery separators and was a natural complement to H&V’s existing business. Today in Mysuru, H&V produces battery separator products that are used in a variety of energy storage applications.“This investment will more than double our capacity to serve the global market and is an exciting opportunity to strengthen our on-the-ground presence in India. This growth will enable H&V to further support the global transition to clean and sustainable energy storage solutions,” says Nick Starita, president, Energy Solutions with H&V.
H&V manufactures Hi-Sep battery separators in Mysuru which are integral in industrial and automotive applications. Hi-Sep technology also serves a niche in applications such as electric rickshaws, back-up power and industrial forklifts. Electric rickshaws are popular across Asia and are a growing form of transportation.
In line with H&V’s vision to provide solutions for “Creating a Cleaner World,” H&V’s investment will expand capacity to manufacture Hi-Sep battery separators and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) separators for automotive and industrial applications. Further, the investment will enable production of HEPA filtration media for regional customers.
H&V’s Hi-Sep battery separator materials are made from synthetic and glass fibers that outperform phenolic resin, polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) separators in VRLA gel batteries. According to H&V, it is one of the only globally available VRLA gel separators that can be supplied in various configurations to include rolled goods, leafs, sleeves, and with or without glass mat. Hi-Sep rolled goods for VRLA gel allows battery manufacturers to increase their battery throughput.
Hi-Sep has demonstrated that it outperforms other separators in VRLA gel batteries and premium flooded lead batteries. Hi-Sep is designed with a high porosity at 70% or more to improve ionic mobility increasing performance. Further, the optimized torturous pores prevent dendritic shorts extending batty life. The Hi-Sep battery separators use close to a non-leachate formula with binders, synthetic fibers, filters and glass fibers. Its unique composition makes it an excellent replacement for other commonly used separator materials, such as PE, PVC, and phenolic resin.
H&V’s Hi-Sep battery separators have supported countless PSOC and deep cycle battery applications for over 10 years. They offer exceptional performance in rugged applications and extreme environments that demand consistent battery performance amidst harsh operational conditions.
Hi-Sep battery separators can be used in a diverse array of battery products found in many Industrial Motive and Reserve Power applications.
