A satellite workshop of the Electro Mobility and Circular Economy (EMCE) Conference, the pinfa workshop focused on the trends and challenges driven by the thriving electromobility market: either Battery EV, Plug-in EV or Hybrid EV, the new energy vehicles carry increasingly heavier batteries (up to 400kg for a large battery), thereby justifying structural weight reduction in the cars. Metal parts are often replaced by multi-material compounds (eg. Polymeric resins, fiberglass, carbon fiber), with Epoxy and Polyurethane being among the most used polymers. For instance, battery casings face increasing pressure to be both lighter and more effective, while the capacity of the cells is plummeting, resulting in a higher flammability risk. Flame retardant formulations, either as structural additives or intumescent coatings are instrumental in keeping xEV safe. UN regulation R100-03 already prescribes flame retardancy from external source of ignition for battery packs and it is expected that international standardization will also address internal sources of ignitions in the near future.

Speakers from automotive manufacturers Honda and Nissan shared presentations on the projected automotive trends towards the 2020s. Tomorrow’s vehicles are expected to be CASE: Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric and MaaS (Mobility as a Service) is going to initiate a paradigm change.

With an expected life cycle of at least 15 years, flame retarded xEV parts must endure weathering and push the challenges of material stability in a whole new zone. Recycling these parts has yet to become an industry of its own. Non-halogen substances developed by the pinfa members are praised for their better environmental profile throughout the life cycle of the vehicle.

Supported by pinfa member companies Adeka, Clariant and Dupont, this workshop has received unanimously positive feedback from the participants. Pinfa will soon be organizing a 3rd workshop in Darmstadt, Germany on November 12th.

Workshop Programme (EN)
Workshop Programme (JP)

Presentations :

• PIN Flame retardants at a glance: global trends & perspectives ,Mr. Jonathan Crozier
• Flame Retardant Technology of Automotive and Fire Safety in Japan, Prof. Masayuki Okoshi
• Multi-material for Electric vehicle and Flame retardance, Mr. Hiroshi Okuyama
• Expansion of polyolefin application via intumescent halogen-free flame retardant technology, Mr. Yutaka Yonezawa
• Clariant flame retardant solutions for electromobility with the focus on thermoplastic and thermoset resins, Dr.-Ing. Christian Schmidt
• DuPont Tailored Solutions for electromobility, Mr. Narumi Une