Aerogel is a lightweight, porous material composed of a three-dimensional network of solid particles filled with gas. This unique structure gives aerogel excellent thermal insulation and electrical conductivity, making it a wide range of applications in the field of energy storage and conversion. In the field of electric vehicles, aerogel technology can provide solutions to improve battery safety and reliability, reduce charging time, and increase range.
First of all, in terms of safety, taking the Buick E5 built by the General Autoneng platform as an example, the Buick E5 uses aviation-grade aerogel, when there is an accidental collision, first of all, the body first resists a round of impact, if the body does not resist, the battery shell equipped with high-strength tic-tac-toe steel beams will resist again, and then, the physical relationship between the battery pack - module - battery cell will also buffer the impact again;After multiple rounds of decomposition of the impact, even if the battery pack is finally squeezed, then the thermal insulation barriers such as aerogel fire blankets between the battery cell and the module, between the module and the battery pack, and between the battery pack and the body will seal the fire as much as possible, and the pressure relief valve and fast exhaust channel will also quickly discharge the high-temperature gas out of the battery pack. The step-by-step decomposition of the impact of the collision + the step-by-step shielding of the fire achieves the ceiling-level safety level of the battery of the electric vehicle, which is the application of aerosols in safety.
Secondly, aerogel can be used as a material for battery separators. The battery separator is a key component inside the battery and is responsible for preventing direct contact between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing ions to flow freely during charging and discharging. The high porosity and excellent conductivity of aerogel can improve the ionic conductivity of the battery, thereby improving the charge-discharge rate and cycle life of the battery. This means that electric vehicles that use aerogel as a battery separator can achieve faster charging times in a short period of time while maintaining a longer range.
Finally, aerogel can be used as a thermal insulation for batteries. The battery of an electric vehicle generates a lot of heat during charging and discharging, which can affect the performance and life of the battery. The excellent thermal insulation performance of aerogel can effectively reduce heat transfer, thereby reducing the heat loss of the battery and improving its energy conversion efficiency. This will help increase the range of electric vehicles while reducing the risk of battery damage due to overheating.
In conclusion, aerogel technology has great potential in the field of electric vehicles. By improving battery safety and reliability, reducing charging time, and increasing range, aerogel can help us realize our vision of sustainable mobility.