Zircotec to lead ceramic coating research for EV battery enclosures and cooling plates

MIA Member Zircotec has shared the following press release.

Zircotec to lead vital ceramic coating research to enable lightweight material use in Electric Vehicle battery enclosures and cooling plates.

Zircotec, the thermal technologists that have owned the science of heat management for more than 30 years, have secured significant government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) to develop a single proprietary ceramic coating that will unlock the use of lightweight materials – including aluminium and plastic composites – across EV battery enclosures and cooling plates.

The Government-supported ‘CeraBEV’ (Ceramics for BEVs) project, which forms part of the government’s work to ensure the UK remains at the cutting-edge of battery technology, will last for 12 months. Zircotec has been installed as the lead partner, while Cranfield University is the project partner responsible for coating testing and evaluation.

In almost all cases, battery enclosures on today’s EVs are manufactured from heavy-duty steel. In a bid to reduce the weight of EVs and improve their range, alternative and lightweight materials are needed. Examples include aluminium and plastic composites. Alongside this, the efficiency of aluminium cooling plates within the battery pack is hampered by the required electrical insulation coupled with its typically low level of thermal conductivity. Significant improvements in cooling plate efficiency can be achieved through thin, high-performance electrical insulation with enhanced thermal conductivity. 

Dominic Graham, Zircotec Engineering Director, said: “The key to unlocking the use of new, lightweight materials across battery enclosures and cooling plates in EVs is being able to develop and effectively apply high-performance coatings that ensure the safe thermal and electrical operation of the substrate.

“The Advanced Propulsion Centre ‘CeraBEV advanced route to market demonstrator’ project allows our engineers to develop world-first, all-in-one dielectric and flameproof ceramic coatings that will address and overcome the significant thermal management and electrical insulation challenges associated with the lightweight materials OEMs want to use on their vehicles.”

Andrew Donachie, Zircotec COO, said: “We’re delighted to be selected to receive this APC funding which will not only enable Zircotec to extend its current ceramic coating expertise within the EV sector, but will also accelerate the UK’s battery energy storage technology capability through ceramic coating research that has the power to transform material use in the battery electric vehicle sector.”

To deliver its research, Zircotec will develop its current ElectroHold® coatings range to provide high-performance dielectric, flameproofing and EMC shielding properties.

These existing products are lightweight, can be easily packaged into existing automotive design infrastructures, protect against water ingress, corrosion and chemical attack, and provide the highest performance and adherence levels during normal operating conditions. They have also been proven at the top level of electric motorsport.

Dominic Graham added: “Our skills and experience in developing thermal management solutions for OEMs and top-flight motorsport, including F1, are well known. But the Electric Vehicle market is an area we’ve been focusing on heavily during the last 12 months by developing out our current thermal science so a new breed of ElectroHold® solutions. This proven technology will provide the platform for our work towards delivering the CeraBEV project.”

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