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Henkel Adhesive Technologies

Henkel Adhesive Technologies

E-mobility

As the global transition toward electric vehicles (EVs) accelerates, so does the need for groundbreaking solutions that address lingering concerns among consumers. While EV technology has witnessed remarkable progress over the past years, challenges around cost, range, sustainability, and safety persist for OEMs and battery manufacturers. With an extensive portfolio of solutions, world-class network of Battery Engineering Centers, and a dedicated team of e-mobility experts, we are committed to solving the industry’s most pressing challenges and enabling zero-emission mobility.

A transparent view of an EV, showing its battery pack in see-through

At a glance

65%

EV share by 2030

...

Is needed to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

*Source: iea.org: Electric Vehicles 2023

$114B

in 2023

...

Size of the global electric mobility market.

*Source: U.S. Electric Mobility Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report forecasts 2023-2030

14.6%

CAGR 2023-2030

...

Growth of global electric mobility market.

*Source: U.S. Electric Mobility Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report forecasts 2023-2030

Explore our other Automotive solutions

  • Powertrain and chassis

  • Automotive electronics

  • Automotive vehicle body

  • Automotive interior and exterior

Solutions for EV battery systems

Innovative advanced materials are vital to high-performing EV battery systems. Henkel’s offers a wide range of solutions across all battery pack designs and cell types, and they include thermal interface materials, battery safety materials, adhesives and sealants, conductive electrode coating, and dielectric coatings.

Henkel’s commitment to pioneering innovation in battery technology is evident through its collaborative partnerships, sustainable EV battery initiatives, and the recently-launched Battery Engineering Center.

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Battery Engineering Center

As a premier design and innovation partner for automotive OEMs and battery manufacturers worldwide, Henkel launched a state-of-the-art Battery Engineering Center in its Inspiration Center Duesseldorf. A TISAX-certified facility, it features a Battery Application Center and a Battery Test Center with world-class capabilities in modeling and simulation, material dispensing, and battery system-level testing.

Impactful Partnerships

Understanding the dynamism and fast pace of the E-Mobility industry, we are always seeking impactful partnerships and alliances to strengthen our innovation capabilities and enable us to accelerate the speed at which we develop and bring our products to the market. For example, we have partnered with the RWTH Aachen University’s Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM Motion GmbH) to collaborate on future-oriented research projects focused on EV battery systems. Moreover, we’re part of several alliances such as The Mobility Alliance with RLE International as well as the Catena-X automotive network and the Global Battery Alliance.

Henkel signing a partnership with PEM Motion

Applications

Illustrated electric vehicle battery module with Henkel technologies
Battery Conductive Coatings

Conductive coatings improve the charging and discharging performance of lithium-ion battery cells by reducing the electrical resistance between active material and aluminum foil.

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Dielectric Coatings

With high dielectric strength and excellent interfacial adhesion, Henkel’s Dielectric Coatings provide a superior alternative to conventional PET-foils due to their automated spray coating process which is optimized for mass production.

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Assembly Adhesives

Battery assembly adhesives enable cost-efficient and fast assembly of prismatic, cylindrical or pouch cells.

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Thermally Conductive Adhesives

Thermal adhesives offer a unique combination of thermal conductivity and structural strength. In addition, the material can be applied in an automated process, and cures at high speed.

Battery module with pouch cells
Battery Safety Pads and Pottings

Pads for prismatic and pouch cells, and pottings for cylindrical cells, provide excellent heat resistance and shielding for thermal propagation prevention.

Illustration of a Battery Safety Pad applied between pouch cells

Battery modules and cells

With a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for battery modules and cells, such as cylindrical, pouch, and prismatic cells, Henkel offers solutions such as Conductive electrode coatings, dielectric coatings, thermally conductive adhesives, and battery cell pads, which enable safer and more efficient batteries.

Interior Battery pack cylindrical cell plate illustrated teardown
Cleaners and Functional coating
Battery Safety Coatings

Battery Safety solutions, such as fire protective coatings, are key to ensuring the safety of passengers in case a fire event is triggered inside the battery pack due to a thermal runaway.

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Structural Adhesives

Structural adhesives for battery packs optimize housing integrity and crash performance. Henkel's solutions can be applied cost-efficiently by robot, and are suitable for both aluminum and multi-metal frames and structures.

Close up of interior of aluminum battery pack housing
Thermal GAP FILLER®

Gap Filler thermal materials are essential for efficient heat management, safety and lifetime performance of the battery. They offer thermal conductivity up to 3 W/mK and allow for extremely fast and automated dispension.

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Thermally Conductive Adhesives

Thermal adhesives offer a unique combination of thermal conductivity and structural strength. In addition, the material can be applied in an automated process, and cures at high speed.

Battery module with pouch cells
Sealants

Gasketing technologies for battery pack housings enable lifetime reliable sealing against environmental influences and fluids. They are designed to allow for reopening the cover and flame retardancy to the UL 94 standard.

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Battery packs

Battery pack assembly and the protection of components inside of the pack require robust advanced materials. Henkel offers solutions such structural adhesives, liquid gasketing, battery safety coatings, and thermal interface materials, which enhance the durability and protection of the battery system.

Worker spraying metal structures with orange gun during processing

Metal processing solutions

Applied upstream in the manufacturing process, metal processing solutions help ensure the creation of high-quality battery components, while enabling effective downstream processes, such as welding, bonding and painting.

Henkel has numerous OEM approvals for lubricants, cleaners and surface treatments that offer effective, efficient and sustainable metal processing capabilities.

Illustration of Henkel materials in the interior layers of an EV onboard charger
Conformal Coating

Conformal coating is a thin transparent polymeric layer applied to the PCB in order to protect electronic components on the board against environmental contamination. It helps prevent current leakages or corrosion, and can have a positive influence to the solder joint fatigue. 

Illustration of waterproof pcb conformal coating
Sil Pad & Phase Change Materials

Sil Pad and HI-FLOW are thin bondline pads operating as efficient interface between hot components and heat sink/cooling plates. They offer excellent thermal performance, are resistant to electrical shorting, and are suitable for automated assembly processes.

Illustration of thermal interface material power supply application
GAP PAD®

GAP PAD thermal products improve thermal performance and reliability by eliminating air gaps and reducing interfacial resistance. They also offer easy material handling. 

Illustration of thermal interface material in blue
Gasketing

Gasketing technologies for electronic housings offer reliable sealing against automotive fluids and other environmental influences. Cost-efficiency is a prime focus through an automated and high-precision application process.

Picture of sealant gasket dispenser
Thermal Potting

Henkel's thermal potting technology encapsulates sensitive electronic components, protecting them against vibration, thermal shock, humidity, dust and corrosion, while securing a proper heat dissipation in the application. 

Yellow henkel thermal potting material dispensed on a motor coil
GAP FILLER®

Cure-in-Place Gap Filler is designed for applications where pads cannot perform adequately. The material is first dispensed as a liquid onto the target surface, and then as the components are assembled the material wets out to the adjacent surfaces, filling the smallest gaps and air voids.

Onboard chargers

Thermal management and high-voltage creep resistance are integral to EV power conversion across the onboard charger (OBC), inverter, and DC/DC converter. Henkel offers a variety of solutions such as thermal interface materials, potting materials, and sealants for safer and more reliable power conversion components.

Illustration of Henkel materials in the interior layers of an EV inverter
Sil Pad & Phase Change Materials

Sil Pad and HI-FLOW are thin bondline pads operating as efficient interface between hot components and heat sink/cooling plates. They offer excellent thermal performance, are resistant to electrical shorting, and are suitable for automated asembly processes.

Illustration of thermal interface material power supply application
GAP PAD®

GAP PAD thermal products improve thermal performance and reliability by eliminating air gaps and reducing interfacial resistance. They also offer easy material handling.

Illustration of Henkel thermal gap pad
Silver Sintering

Henkel's Ag-Sinter paste is used as high performance die attach connector. It has been specifically designed for applications where classical solder paste would not withstand the temperature reliability requirements, offering a thermal conductivity of >100 W/mk and stability up to 600°C. 

Picture of silver sintering paste semiconductor
Conformal Coating

Conformal coating is a thin transparent polymeric layer applied to the PCB in order to protect electronic components on the board against environmental contamination. It helps prevent current leakages or corrosion, and can have a positive influence to the solder joint fatigue.

Illustration of waterproof pcb conformal coating
THERMAL CLAD Insulated Metal Substrates (IMS®)

TCLAD® substrates minimize thermal impedance and conduct heat more effectively and efficiently than standard printed wiring boards (PWBs). These metal core substrates are more mechanically robust than thick-film ceramics and direct bond copper constructions.

GAP FILLER®

Cure-in-Place Gap Filler is designed for applications where pads cannot perform adequately. The material is first dispensed as a liquid onto the target surface, and then as the components are assembled the material wets out to the adjacent surfaces, filling the smallest gaps and air voids.

Illustration of dispensing pink gap filler
Gasketing

Gasketing technologies for electronic housings offer reliable sealing against automotive fluids and other environmental influences. Cost-efficiency is a prime focus through an automated and high-precision application process.

Picture of sealant gasket dispenser
Thermal Potting

Henkel's thermal potting technology encapsulates sensitive electronic components, protecting them against vibration, thermal shock, humidity, dust and corrosion, while securing a proper heat dissipation in the application. 

Yellow Henkel thermal potting material dispensed on a motor coil

Inverters / Converters

Optimal power conversion components are under increasing strain as EV driving range increases. Inverters must be engineered for shock and vibration stability, environmental suitability, and resistance to internal and external forces. Henkel’s comprehensive portfolio offers solutions for thermal management, structural integrity, safety, and protection of power conversion components.

Illustration of Henkel materials in the interior of an electric motor
Magnet Bonding

Magnet bonding solutions enable the efficient and automated assembly of magnets in electric motors without the necessity of mechanical fixation. They offer excellent shear strength, as well as noise and cost reduction benefits, and are suitable for different substrate surfaces.

Illustration of the placement of magnets and magnet bonding in the interior of EV motor's rotor.
Gasketing

Gasketing technologies for electric drive housings offer reliable sealing against automotive media. Cost-efficiency is a prime focus through automated application and flange design guidelines.

Close up of application of UV gasketing to an ECU
Thermal potting

Henkel's thermal potting technology encapsulates sensitive electronic components in the electric motor, thereby protecting them against vibration, high temperatures, humidity, dust, and corrosion.

Yellow henkel thermal potting material dispensed on a motor coil
Retaining

LOCTITE® retaining compounds secure bearings, bushes, and cylindrical parts into housings or onto shafts. They achieve maximum load transmission capability, uniform stress distribution, and eliminate corrosion.

Illustration of an EV transmission retainer bolt

Electric drive systems

Electric drive systems consist of the electric motor, transmission, and drive housing. Henkel offers potting and gasketing solutions that help protect elective drive components from vibration, high temperatures, humidity, dust, and corrosion while allowing efficient manufacturing.

Solutions

Resources

  • The Road to Net-Zero infographic automotive e-mobility.

    The Road to Net-Zero

    How advanced materials make better EV batteries possible.
    ...
  • Accelerating Adoption Automotive Infographic E-Mobility.

    Accelerating Adoption

    How advanced materials help OEMs make EVs more attractive.
    ...