Asahi Kasei has launched a new grade of LASTAN™, a flame-retardant nonwoven fabric designed to enhance the safety of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. This innovative material provides superior protection against flames and particle blasts, offering a lightweight and flexible alternative to traditional materials. As the demand for safer EV battery solutions grows, LASTAN™ aims to address key challenges by providing improved thermal runaway protection.
Key Highlights:
- Flame-retardant and highly flexible nonwoven fabric developed for EV battery safety.
- Ideal for top covers, busbar protection sleeves, and other battery pack components.
- Provides resistance to flames up to 1,300°C and protection from high-pressure particle blasts.
- Features electrical insulation capacity of up to 3.5 kV at 1 mm thickness.
- LASTAN™ offers excellent processability, making it easy to integrate into complex shapes and simplifying manufacturing.
- Current production is in Japan, with potential future expansion into the United States and other countries.
With the growing demand for electric vehicles, battery safety remains a top concern. According to Asahi Kasei’s automotive consumer survey, 34% of non-EV owners in China view improved safety as a key factor in their purchasing decisions. This has driven global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to seek out advanced materials like LASTAN™ to mitigate thermal runaway, which is a significant hazard in EV batteries.
While current materials used in EV battery covers are typically mineral-based, they often suffer from being heavy, brittle, and difficult to process. LASTAN™, however, stands out due to its non-mineral composition, high flame resistance, and ease of integration into automotive designs. The fabric is made by air-baking special acrylic fibers, resulting in outstanding durability and flame retardance.
Exceptional Performance Metrics:
- Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of 50 (well above the threshold for flame retardance).
- UL94 5VA rating, indicating top-tier performance in flame retardance tests.
- Withstands exposure to 1,300°C flames without creating holes.
- Resistant to particle blasts from venting gas, providing further protection.
Asahi Kasei plans to exhibit this new grade of LASTAN™ at the North American Battery Show in Detroit, scheduled for October 2024. With its global operations and a focus on sustainability, the company is exploring expansion opportunities for production beyond Japan, aiming to support the growing EV market and the transition to a carbon-neutral society by 2050.
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