Avery Dennison PSA tapes support rapid evolution of EV batteries

Innovative pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) solutions are providing crucial support to designers and engineers working in the rapidly evolving world of electric vehicle batteries (EVBs).

Avery Dennison Performance Tapes specializes in cutting-edge PSAs designed to meet the unique demands of EVBs. These include safety, reliability and the optimization of performance combined with efficient manufacturing systems.

Automotive Industries (AI) asked Max Vanraaphorst, Business Development Manager, E-Mobility and Automotive, Avery Dennison Performance Tapes, to tell us more about the company and its tape solutions for EV batteries.

Vanraaphorst: We’re a global manufacturer of high-performance pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape products, serving industries including automotive, aerospace, building and construction, transportation, healthcare, electronics and more.

We have an extensive portfolio of products, including tapes that address some of the key engineering challenges for automotive applications and electric vehicles.

One of the items that really sets us apart is our technical strength. We often collaborate closely with customers to develop custom adhesive tape solutions for very unique needs, and provide continued support long after their product is in the marketplace. It’s a level of expertise and service that’s really uncommon in the industry.

AI: So, what makes PSA tape technology particularly valuable for EV battery applications?

Vanraaphorst: PSA tapes have a long history and an excellent track record in the automotive industry. In fact, Avery Dennison has offered automotive solutions for more than 50 years. So with our EV portfolio, we’re simply bringing PSA tape technology into a new frontier of automotive technology.

Tapes offer a variety of advantages that make them a sound material solution for EV and li-on battery design and production. They can be integrated with functional materials to provide benefits such as flame retardance or dielectric strength.

They’re thin and can be die-cut or stamped into precise shapes, allowing them to fit in the tight confines found in battery packs. They weigh less than other bonding solutions (and, of course, lightweighting is one of the “holy grails” of modern automotive engineering).

They adhere instantly — no cure time is needed, though some adhesive formulations allow for easy repositioning to help assemblers quickly correct application errors. And while they can be applied manually, they also easily facilitate automation. Finally, tapes are robust and durable, able to last for the entire service life of the battery.

And with our EV Battery portfolio, we’re using our material science expertise to create novel solutions for real-world engineering problems where other technologies fall short.

AI: What are some examples of the EV battery engineering problems that PSA tapes can solve?

Vanraaphorst: We’ve focused much of our energy developing tape solutions to address thermal runaway management and particulate gas venting. Another prime opportunity for our tapes is dielectric protection, to prevent arcing.

AI: Please tell us more about how PSA tapes are used for thermal runaway management in EV batteries

Vanraaphorst: Tapes can be integrated with thermal runaway barrier materials and placed inside the battery pack. So, for example, we can create tapes that encapsulate materials such as aerogel or ceramic paper to provide thermal insulation and a flame barrier.

We also bond in flame barriers like mica and other high heat resistant materials.

Practically speaking, we often collaborate with other members of the value chain to develop these solutions. Avery Dennison provides the PSA expertise.

A functional material supplier provides expertise with high heat and/or low thermal conductivity materials. And a converter is employed to perform any stamping or die cutting needed to meet the customer’s specifications.

AI: You mentioned cell venting. How can PSA tapes solve that challenge?

Vanraaphorst: Thermal runaway often occurs when one cell in a pack overheats and ignites. Hot gases and particles then erupt from the cell vent, spread to other cells, and cause a chain reaction.

So we’ve recently introduced a PSA tape solution that helps mitigate this issue. It’s an anisotropic tape with a proprietary coating that is applied across the cell vents. If one of the cells ignites, the “down” side of the tape bursts and allows venting to occur. But the “up” side is resistant to heat and flame. So as those hot gases and particles flow through the pack, they don’t compromise any of the healthy cells.

It’s such a simple, elegant, and cost-effective way to address what has been a thorny challenge in pack design.

AI: How do your dielectric solutions support safety and performance in EV battery packs?

Vanraaphorst: Electrical arcing between metallic components within the confined space of a high-voltage battery pack poses a significant safety risk. That risk extends not only to the vehicle’s passengers but to any technician who services the pack.

So, our portfolio includes a tape technology that we’ve branded Volt Tough™ products. These are electrically insulating, film tapes offered in a range of dielectric breakdown strength options. They can be used in a variety of ways to wrap and bond materials in the battery pack, offering PSA advantages of thinness (to fit in tight spaces), light weight, durability and ease of assembly.

That thinness means you can enhance the pack’s dielectric robustness while creating more space for functional materials or more battery capacity — all helping to improve safety, range and performance while reducing cost.

AI: I understand you’ve recently completed a white paper study on stampable dielectric solutions. What problem does that solve?

Vanraaphorst: Stampability is one more way PSA tapes can provide an advantage over other material solutions. In the study, we explain how our dielectric tapes can be applied directly onto flat metal blanks, which can then be formed into various battery pack parts through stamping or roll forming.

Tapes resist the cracking or damage that is common during the forming process with other solutions, such as powder coating.

Applying a tape — either manually or by automated processes — rather than a coating, helps reduce factory footprint, lowers capital expenditures, and delivers what we believe is one of the lowest-cost solutions in terms of application and total ownership. All of this is explained in the white paper, which is available for download on the Avery Dennison Performance Tapes website at www.tapes.averydennison.com/evbattery.

AI: Are there any other ways Avery Dennison is innovating for EV batteries?

Vanraaphorst: We have many projects in the pipeline. One we’ve recently introduced is our anode composite current collector. This tape solution employs a very thin plastic film — about 4.5 microns — and adds a 1-micron film of copper on either side.

This is an alternative to the more common all-copper materials used for this application.

Reducing the use of copper helps drive down costs. It also drastically reduces weight — we estimate up to 30 pounds per vehicle. And it allows for our material to go through ultrasonic welding processes better than what we’ve seen with some alternative materials.

AI: EV adoption has seen some ups and downs. What’s your perspective on the future of the industry?

Vanraaphorst: I think the slower rate of EV adoption makes for compelling, if somewhat misleading, headlines in the popular media. But get past the clickbait, and you’ll see that the segment is still growing at a healthy pace.

Fact is, many analysts continue to report on robust growth for EVs. For example, Cox Automotive recently reported that U.S. EV sales grew by 15% in the fourth quarter of 2024, hitting a record sales volume of 1.3 million. Many industries would be happy with 15% growth!

We’re still moving toward that inflection point at which EVs are truly mainstream, and at parity with ICE in terms not only of performance, but cost to buy and operate. It’s not a question of “if,” but “when.”

I think any dampening of spirits in the industry is simply because that inflection point is taking a little bit longer to get here. But it will happen.

AI: And how is your company supporting those manufacturers in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world?

Vanraaphorst: Avery Dennison has corporate operations in more than 50 countries on six continents. In addition to our Performance Tapes location in North America, we have manufacturing facilities in China and Belgium. As we do in the U.S., we partner with functional material manufacturers and converters in key global manufacturing hubs.

Our presence means that we can provide a consistent and reliable supply of material, at scale, almost anywhere a customer conducts their business. We can also provide support to help them adapt to a changing global business landscape and grow profitably.

AI: In what other ways is Avery Dennison helping advance EV technology?

Vanraaphorst: With innovation happening continually, the need for customization is really critical. And that customization needs to be agile and quick. Our laboratory capabilities really shine in that regard. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with manufacturers to develop PSA solutions that work. I really encourage engineers to reach out.

AI: How can those in the industry contact you?

Emailing me at max.vanraaphorst@averydennison.com or connecting with me at LinkedIn are both very effective ways to reach me. You can also visit tapes.averydennison.com/evbattery for more information.