m-PPE foamed beads

SunForce™

  • Batteries

Marketing Areas

  • ALL

While SunForce™ features properties unique to foams, such as light weight and heat insulation, it surpasses conventional foams in functions such as heat retardance, dimensional stability, and thin-wall molding.

Feature

  • Flame retardance
  • Heat insulation
  • Dimensional stability

Usage

  • LIBs

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m-PPE foamed beads

SunForce™

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SunForce™, a foam structure that is both highly resistant to heat and highly strong, enables various parts of vehicles to be more light weight and functional.

SunForce™, a foam structure that is both highly resistant to heat and highly strong, enables various parts of vehicles to be more light weight and functional.

Feature01

Flame retardance

SunForce™ has received the "V-0" rating, an extremely high-level flame retardant standard, of the UL-94 (the Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances testing) certified by UL (Underwriters Laboratories Limited Liability Company).
SunForce™ is the world's first foamed beads that received the V-0 rating.
Although SunForce™ is a foamed material, it is the molded material that can be used for the parts requiring heat insulation.
In addition to the UL standard, the Flammability Test for Railroad Vehicles certified SunForce™ as a "flame-retardant" material.

Feature02

Heat insulation

Since SunForce™ is a foamed material, the amount of resin used for it is small. Accordingly, "conduction" through its resin parts is small. Since the independent bubbles in the material of SunForce™ keep the air inside them, "convection" caused by the flow of the air is prevented. Since the bubble diameter is very small, a large number of bubble films exist inside them, resulting in small “radiation.” By suppressing all of these three elements, SunForce™ achieves high heat insulation properties.

Feature03

Dimensional stability

The dimensional change of SunForce™ is very small while it is processed. It can be formed and processed to the degree which is close to that of common injection-molded articles. SunForce™ can be safely used for structures and chassis whose dimension must be stable.

In addition, SunForce™ has the characteristics of PPE resin, which has a small linear expansion coefficient compared with that of other types of resins. Therefore, the impact of temperatures on SunForce™ is relatively minor.
In addition, to produce SunForce™, beads are filled in a metal mold, steam is used to expand the beads, and the beads are thermally bonded with each other (refer to the molding guide). Unlike the injection molding method in which resin is poured into a metal mold in a high-temperature and high-pressure environment, the thermal bonding method produces molded products with fewer warps or burrs even when the thicknesses of the molded products vary. Therefore, it can be designed freely without any shape limitation such as uniform thickness.

Usage example01

Reducing electricity to control battery cell temperature with the effects of heat insulation

It is known that when the temperature of a battery decreases, its output drops significantly. In certain types of electric vehicles and high-power hybrid vehicles, the battery cells are heated by a heater, etc. to prevent their temperature decrease and maintain them at an appropriate temperature.

Insulating the battery with SunForce™ can prevent the battery from losing heat during a vehicle stop. If the vehicle is stopped for several hours, a high output of the battery can be achieved without the necessity of heating by a heater. Even when a heater is used, heat loss to the outside can be minimized by the heat insulation effect of SunForce™.

SunForce™ also saves electricity for cooling the battery cells while the vehicle is running.Using SunForce™ to reduce influences of external heat increases heat exchange efficiency, maximizing battery performance.

m-PPE Foamed Beads SunForce™ for EV Battery cell

Contribution to the environment

SunForce™ can be used as a light-weight material, heat-insulating material, or the like that contributes to the reduction of the global environmental burden.
The raw materials of SunForce™ do not contain harmful substances including halogen compounds and heavy metals. Also, SunForce™ does not contain substances subject to the RoHS Directive.

RoHS Directive:(Directive on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical equipment)
In Europe, since July 1, 2006, the RoHS Directive has been enacted to restrict the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The Directive regulates the use of six harmful substances: Lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, and PBDE.

The raw materials of SunForce™ also comply with other regulations including the REACH and the TSCA. Contact us for further information on conditions such as compliance with the latest REACH SVHC List.

REACH:Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals
The REACH Regulation is the comprehensive regulations of the European Parliament and the European Council on the registration, assessment, authorization, and restriction of chemicals, which entered into force on 1 June 2007.
TSCA:Toxic Substances Control Act
U.S. law for regulating harmful substances. Law concerning the regulation of harmful chemical substances.

More detail interview

https://asahi-kasei-mobility.com/en/interview/battery_thermal_management/

Product Q&A

QDoes SunForce™ have vibration-damping properties?

A Its vibration-damping properties are better than those of common resin molded products.

QDoes SunForce™ have antistatic properties?

A No. It does not have antistatic properties.
If necessary, we provide a secondary process such as surface application of a surfactant after molding.

QWhat is the color of SunForce™?

A Only black-based colors are currently available.

QWhat types of smoke gas are emitted when SunForce™ is ignited?

A Mainly CO2, and other types of gas similar to those emitted when common resins are ignited.

QWhat are the electrical properties of SunForce™?

A Its raw material, modified PPE resin, is one of the plastics with the best electrical properties.
In addition, the material of SunForce™ contains air; therefore the dielectric constant and dielectric loss are lower than those of the raw resin.

QDoes SunForce™ have shock-absorbing properties?

A Since SunForce™ is a foam of low expansion ratio, it is highly rigid and does not have cushioning properties like those of general foamed cushioning materials.

QIs SunForce™ a non-flammable material?

A A small amount of water is transmitted between beads if constantly in contact with water.

QIs SunForce™ waterproof?

A When it constantly comes in contact with water, a small amount of water penetrates through beads.

QWhy is SunForce™ flame retardant?

A As soon as SunForce™ is ignited, the surface is carbonized to automatically extinct the fire.

QIs SunForce™ hydrolyzed?

A Its raw material, modified PPE resin, is highly resistant to hydrolysis.

QWhat is the recyclability of SunForce™?

A SunForce™ cannot be recycled and transformed into SunForce™
. It can be recycled and transformed into other materials, and thermal recycling is possible.
The method for disposing of SunForce™ is the same as that for disposing of general resins, but please dispose of it according to the instructions of the local municipality.

QCan we print something on SunForce™?

A Yes. You can print or paint something on it.

QCan it be injection molded?

A The use of foam beads for steam molding means it cannot be used for injection molding.

QIs a higher foaming ratio possible?

A Since the main feature of SunForce™ is flame retardancy, at present, the maximum expansion ratio is 10.

QWhat is the foaming agent?

A Inorganic gas. Afterwards, in the formed cells of foamed beads and molded products, air replaces the inorganic gas.

QWhat is the channel of selling SunForce™?

A We sell only foamed beads.
You need to purchase molded products from molding manufacturers or trading companies.

QAre you selling standardized products such as sheet materials, board materials, and block materials?

A We do not currently sell SunForce™ in these formats. Sales are currently focused solely on foam beads which can be obtained from fabricators.
Contact us through the inquiry form if you need block materials which will be cut.

QCan you supply SunForce™ to countries outside Japan?

A SunForce™ has been molded in countries other than Japan such as the U.S., Europe and China. Please contact us for further information including local dealers of molded products.

QIs SunForce™ weather-resistant?

A For our test result, please refer to the data posted on our website.
(Long-term durability and weather resistance)

QWhat are the long-term properties of SunForce™?

A Data on changes in strength with long-term heating is available here.
(What is the degree of the thermal resistance of SunForce™?)

QWhat are the low-temperature characteristics of SunForce™?

A The brittle temperature of the modified PPE resin is-100°C or lower.
(What is the degree of the heat resistance of SunForce™?)

QHow can we judge the details of the design criteria and appropriate shapes of SunForce™?

A Please contact us or the molding manufacturer.
(Product design guide)

QDoes SunForce™ contain any substance of concern?

A No such substance is added to it.
(Product safety)

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