Nov 5, 2024

24M Technologies reports battery separator innovations that can reduce battery fires Posted Lithium-ion battery technology developer 24M has released new testing data for its Impervio battery separator. The testing was related to the issue of battery-fire risk in EVs, energy storage systems and consumer applications. The company’s Impervio battery separator was designed to reduce the risk of overcharging that can cause metallic dendrite formation and internal shorts, which can result in a battery fire and/or explosion. According to 24M, Impervio obstructs dendrite propagation and prevents thermal runaway by monitoring the cell’s electrochemistry and enabling the implementation of a failsafe in the event of a potential short. 24M’s lab tests compared performance between a 10 Ah high-nickel NMC/graphite pouch cell with an Impervio separator and another off-the-shelf nickel NMC/graphite pouch cell with a conventional separator. Both were fully charged and then advanced to 100% overcapacity. The cells with Impervio did not short or overheat with a full hour of overcharge, but the off-the-shelf cells overheated from dendrite-caused micro shorts within 15 minutes of overcharging and exploded into flames after 38 minutes. The company expects to bring Impervio to market in 2025 or 2026. “Battery safety is a major roadblock to the widespread adoption of EVs,” said Naoki Ota, 24M’s President and CEO. “A sustainable energy future is only possible with innovations like Impervio, which can help prevent battery fires and create new opportunities for battery innovation.”