E-mobility Technology Winter 2020

e-mobility Technology International | Vol 7 | Winter 2020
The next generation of seals
The effectiveness and reliability of glass-to-metal
sealing means it has a wider range of EV applications
than air conditioning, and SCHOTT is the first company
in the world to successfully create a permanently
tight connection between glass and aluminium. These
hermetic glass-to-aluminium seals (SCHOTT GTAS®) are
designed to eliminate moisture intrusion and electrolyte
dry-out by using an inorganic, non-aging
glass seal.
SCHOTT now offers lithium-ion battery lids with glassaluminum
sealed terminals that prevent humidity
intrusion into the cell housing. These rugged, gas-tight
designs are simpler than conventional lid designs and
can significantly enhance both safety and the service
life of the battery.
The technology can also be used with supercapacitors
and Electric Double Layer Capacitors. The gas-tight lids
offer a reduction of capacity losses over time by up to
60%, enabling capacitor developers to design smaller
capacitors with long operating lives. Similar in structure
to lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors can store and
release large amounts of energy in much less time,
recharging electric cars in minutes and supporting startstop
functions.
A solid future
Lithium-ion batteries are the most common source of
power for EVs, but the technology behind solid-state
batteries is promising to overcome the limits of today’s
battery cells. It’s estimated that solid-state batteries
could shorten charging times, increase reliability and
extend the range of EVs above 300km – a significant
increase and one that could finally fulfil the wishes of
the drivers.
But while lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes
for ion conduction, solid-state batteries use solid forms,
enabling the use of alternative electrode materials.
Since energy density is increased, storage capacity
is pushed up, which increases the amount of energy
available on a single charge. Key to the success of
solid-state batteries are glass-ceramic powders. Used
as an electrolyte, they show high levels of conductivity,
plus temperature and chemical stability – the ideal
properties for a high-performance battery.
“Our team is in the process of further developing these
materials and their production on an industrial scale
to achieve the best possible performance,” says Dr
Andreas Roters, one of SCHOTT’s leading scientists.
“We have been working with solid-state batteries
since 2011, when hardly anyone in Europe spoke of
them. We are now involved in a variety of cooperation
and development projects, and have built up a global
network of partners with contacts to leading industrial
manufacturers and suppliers.”
SCHOTT GTAS Lid
Heart of glass
Whether it’s electric compressors,
lithium-ion batteries and
supercapacitors, or solid-state
batteries, the use of glass in EVs now
goes way beyond the windscreen. It
has a major role in the development
of technology that will define the
future of the sector, pushing it
forward to fulfil its huge potential.
That’s great news for manufacturers,
the environment, and, most
importantly, people. “Glass may be
one of the world’s oldest materials,
but it has a crucial role to play in our
future,” Dr. Roters concludes.
SCHOTT GTAS Lid System
SCHOTT GTAS Lid Systems for Capacitors
SuperCaps
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