Have you ever thought about how many times a week you need your car? Or how many times you catch a bus, taxi, or ride-share? At some point in our lives, nearly all of us will rely on a consistent form of transportation to help us in our daily activities. Ensuring vehicles have what they need to function is integral.
The battery of a vehicle is one of the most important parts, as it powers nearly everything we need for the vehicle to function. From the electric systems, to the ignition, to providing constant power, to all other aspects of the vehicle - this all stems from a powerful battery. Customer demands for eco-friendly products continue to grow, and vehicle batteries can help by reducing the vehicle’s idling time. The start-stop battery technology system will automatically shut down and restart the engine. In doing so, emission reduction and fuel economy gains ranging from 3 to 10percent can be achieved.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are ideal for start-stop systems and offer cycle stability three times higher than conventional batteries. AGM batteries are designed to meet the continuous load discharge and charging cycles required for start-stop systems and are capable of meeting the vehicle’s power demands, even when the engine is shut down.
“AGM battery components are held in compression and often require a reinforced case and lid to withstand demanding internal pressures,” said Sunit Shah, LyondellBasell, new business development manager for Automotive. “The case and lid are welded, which further increases the demand for compatible materials with excellent dimensional stability. Polymer solutions from LyondellBasell, such as our Hostacom portfolio, help create these essential pieces of a vehicle’s start-stop battery system.”
In the outer battery case, Hostacom polypropylene (PP) compounds can be formulated for high rigidity, excellent low- temperature impact strength, and superior dimensional stability, which are all rigorous demands for AGM battery case construction. As for the start-stop battery lid, Hostacom solutions offers high stiffness performance and weldability, which is key to this component as it allows the lid to be secured to the case. For designs that require a lower stiffness or lighter weight, Pro-fax PP resins from LyondellBasell could be a suitable alternative.
With a diverse portfolio of engineered polymers, LyondellBasell is proud to offer a variety of material solutions to help start-stop battery designs come to life. LyondellBasell materials help make innovative and sustainable solutions possible.
