Better Battery Performance.
Lower Environmental Impact.

How can a thermal interface material both improve EV battery performance and save several kilos in weight? 

Together with leading global battery manufacturers and materials experts, Sika is pioneering a new generation of thermal management solutions that are moving safe and sustainable battery pack design forward.

Improving Performance, Saving Weight

Thermal management is critical to battery pack performance.Yet, all too often, gap fillers and thermally conductiveadhesives come at the cost of increased weight and designlimitations. SikaForce® TC, SikaBiresin® TC and Sikaflex® TCput an end to these trade-offs. Versatile, reliable and withone-third lower density than comparable thermal interfacematerials, they enable weight savings of up to half a kilogramper liter. By combining the highest thermal conductivity withthe lowest possible density, they provide the optimal balancebetween thermal performance and weight.

Enhanced Heat Transfer and Battery Lifespan

As production of electric vehicles (EV) continues to ramp up,ensuring efficient heat dissipation and thermal managementwithin their battery packs is crucial for optimal performanceand extended lifespan. Thermal interface materials(TIMs) play a vital role in maintaining the temperature ofbattery cells, resulting in more efficient batteries, longerbattery life, and higher energy input and output.

Low-density thermal interface materials, such as theSikaBiresin® TC series, excel in improving heat transferbetween battery cells and cooling plates. By effectivelyconducting heat away from the battery, they help maintaina narrow temperature range within the battery pack,promoting efficient battery operation and extending thelifespan of battery cells.

Improved Mechanical Properties and Lightweight Design

In addition to their high thermal performance, low-densityTIMs offer enhanced mechanical properties. Our broad rangeof TC Adhesives, not only improve thermal conductivity butalso enhance stiffness, enabling stronger, lighter constructionof modules within the battery pack. This advantage isespecially significant as manufacturerstransition to Cell-to-Pack designs, seeking to improve the stiffness and torsionalcharacteristics of the vehicle’s body structure. The use ofthermally conductive adhesives, further enhances thestiffness of packs, resulting in lightweight, high-performancebattery assemblies.

Flexible Application and Easy Disassembly

Sika’s low-density thermal interface materials provideflexible application options to accommodate differentbattery designs and assembly processes. SikaBiresin® TCgap fillers, for instance, can be injected, allowing for easyassembly and ensuring proper filling of gaps between batterycomponents. In addition, their moderate adhesion strengthallows for disassembly and serviceability, enabling cost-efficientmaintenance and second life for battery packs.

Custom Solutions and Process Improvements

Whatever the manufacturer’s specific requirements andassembly processes may be, Sika’s thermal interfacematerials can be customized to meet these unique needs,resulting in significant process improvements. By consideringfactors like conformability, surface characteristics, andre-workability, these materials can be tailored to specificassembly/disassembly processes without compromisingtheir thermal conductivity and electrical isolation properties.

Development Partnership and Support

Thanks to Sika’s extensive experience developing customizedTIM solutions for leading battery pack producers in Asia,the US and Europe, manufacturers can benefit from a widerange of application engineering support services. Whetherit’s selecting the right TIMs and adhesives for specificrequirements or testing and engineering simulations, Sikaexperts work closely with every partner to ensure optimaladhesion, storage, and compatibility with substrates,thereby simplifying the customers’ approval processes.And when it comes to streamlining implementation, Sikaoffers comprehensive system engineering expertise aswell as close collaborations with testing institutes andapplication and pumping technology suppliers.

Moving Battery Manufacturing Forward

Whatever your manufacturing demands may be, Sika’slow-density thermal interface materials offer numerousadvantages for manufacturing better-performing, lightweightEV battery assemblies. Their ability to enhance heattransfer, improve mechanical properties, and provide flexibleapplication options make them invaluablein the design andconstruction of EV battery packs. As battery pack designcontinues to evolve from Module-to-Pack to Cell-to-Pack, Sikaexperts are there to provide all the application engineering,design simulations and thermal testing needed to evolvewith your fast-changing design requirements.