Meaning
Flexible insulation composite consisting of a nanoporous silica aerogel matrix impregnated into a fibrous reinforcing web. This aerogel blanket provides exceptional thermal resistance at low thicknesses for battery pack fire protection. It prevents thermal runaway propagation by blocking heat transfer between adjacent cells.
Material Composition
Fibrous batting provides the structural backbone while the aerogel component handles the thermal load. Manufacturers use glass or carbon fibers to ensure the aerogel blanket remains intact during high temperature events. The silica pores measure less than 20 nanometers in diameter.
Protective Function
Placement between pouch or prismatic cells limits the temperature rise of neighboring units during a single cell failure. Because an aerogel blanket possesses low thermal conductivity, usually below 0.020 W/mK, it maintains a safe gradient across a thin profile. The material resists compression.
Fire Performance
Performance during a fire test determines the safety rating for electric vehicle enclosures. This aerogel blanket usually meets non combustibility standards such as UL 94 V0 or similar international ratings. Inorganic components ensure that the material does not release toxic smoke or fuel the fire during a venting event.
Intense heat triggers a phase where the material chars but maintains its physical boundary between the cooling system and the failed cell.
