Researchers in China have developed a gradient-laminated ceramifiable silicone foam that transforms into a dense ceramic barrier under fire conditions, preventing thermal runaway propagation in a three-cell lithium-ion battery module under laboratory conditions.
From ESS News
Thermal runaway propagation — the cascade in which a failing cell triggers sequential failure across an entire battery module – is now a primary safety hazard in utility-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems. Gas jets ejected during runaway events reach core temperatures of 800 C to 1,200 C and ejection velocities exceeding 200 meters per second. Conventional passive insulation materials fail under these conditions: organic foams collapse above 300 C, while inorganic fiber materials disintegrate under high-velocity jet impingement.
Researchers at China University of Petroleum-Beijing and the China Academy of Safety Science and Technology have developed a gradient-laminated ceramifiable silicone foam composite that addresses both failure modes. The material integrates a polydimethylsiloxane foam matrix with an embedded glass fiber fabric skeleton and a multiscale filler system including ammonium polyphosphate, zinc borate, kaolin, and silica aerogel.
