DuPont materials science advances next generation of EV batteries at The Battery Show

Suppliers to electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers are being challenged to combine materials science expertise with world-class in-house advanced engineering capabilities, local manufacturing and excellent technical service and support to provide a seamless and customized experience for customers.

For 100 years DuPont has been providing support and materials to the automotive industry, and is now a leader in EV battery assembly and thermal management technology. The company featured its broad and integrated offering of technology and material science solutions for the EV market at The Battery Show Europe 2025. A full-size battery module prototype at their stand demonstrated multi-material solutions for battery pack components and assembly.

Automotive Industries (AI) spoke at the show to Jacek Reutt, Business Development Leader for E&I, and Stefan Schmatloch, R&D Leader – Automotive Adhesives, EMEA, at DuPont.

AI: What are the new designs and trends in EV battery packs?

Schmatloch: What we see happening now is certainly a trend to higher energy density, and faster charging. There is something of a divide between premium and mass market car manufacturers.

While premium manufacturers are aiming at higher density, which is a little more costly, other colleagues are still working with cell-to-pack approaches. I think both approaches will stay, so it is good to cater for both.

AI: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities?

Reutt:: Technically, it has been a challenge to keep up with the approaches and demands of the new and different competitors which entered the market at the beginning of this new era of automotive mobility. In effect, the whole supply chain was going through a phase of trial and error.

The whole supply chain is now benefiting from the experience gained, and we are in a sorting phase where the landscape is becoming clearer.

The trend is moving towards cell-to-pack technology. This creates greater demand for high performance materials in terms of thermal and mechanical performance. There is a premium price for some materials, but overall, the whole system is getting cheaper. A number of suppliers have been able to reduce their bill of materials.

AI: In what way does your portfolio of thermally conductive structural adhesives provide thermal control, crash durability, and production efficiency?

Schmatloch: For us, it has been a very big advantage to stay close to our customers. We know exactly where their pain points are, and I think we do a very good job in meeting these requirements and anticipating them due to our market development activities.

This combination of staying close to the customer, hearing and understanding their difficulties and anticipating market needs is very powerful for us.

Coming back to the design question, there was a lot of discussion about the application of adhesives in batteries. It needs to adhere, to be at a certain strength level, and to meet pressure, crunch, durability requirements while having the right thermal and electrical conduction properties.

The focus has very much been on these properties with a shift towards lowering costs and lean manufacturing. Customers want to be able to apply the adhesives using existing equipment.

That is where our technological strength is important. We can adjust the curing time to meet the requirements of the existing production line and to ensure the process runs smoothly.

AI: How are your EV battery assembly adhesives maximizing performance and durability?

Schmatloch: We develop tailor made solutions which meet all the requirements of strength, adhesion, and durability. The attention has shifted to providing materials with lower carbon footprints that are bio-based.

Reutt: This is, I think, the beauty of the DuPont portfolio. We are really a thermal powerhouse which can meet all requirements. In addition, we have a range of gap fillers, which go up to 1200 meters Kelvin if really high performance is needed.

On the lower end, we have very thin films with a thickness of 38 microns, which can be used on bus bars. Here we provide technical support to our customers. For example, a super thin thermally conductive film of 0.85 Kelvin on the bus bar can be connected to a gap filler, to efficiently distribute heat during fast charging.

AI: How is innovation in technology helping to reduce or eliminate solvents?

Schmatloch: That is a very important question. Solvents are used in adhesion preparation as part of a multi-step preparation of the substrate. You need to clean it, and you need to activate the surface to ensure it binds with the adhesive.

Our research and development focus has always been to combine these properties in one product, for all substrates. DuPont’s BETAFORCE™ elastic structural adhesive with its primer-free bonding capabilities was developed for pouch cell batteries. BETATECH™ thermal interface material is designed to manage heat between battery cells and cooling plates, while facilitating repair and recycling.

AI: Are all DuPont adhesives, sealers, and thermal interface materials formulated with disassembly and serviceability in mind?

Schmatloch: Yes, absolutely. There are different levels at which we provide these advantages to our customers. The first dedicated design of the cure speed profile, which is very slow at the beginning, followed by a hockey stick profile that provides strength. The initial period of slow curing and low strength enables shop floor repairs.

To avoid having to scrap whole batteries due to manufacturing defects, we designed the cure profile to allow customers to fully disassemble a battery which has just come off the production line.

In addition, we have developed functional thin layers that can be triggered to debond by different means, such as temperature, electric current or laser.

AI: Do DuPont innovations extend to manufacturing? 

Schmatloch: For adhesives. It is very important for our global customers that we have local manufacturing and supply chains wherever their plants are. For some time, we have been investing in new assets in all the regions which include bringing enhanced technology into the manufacturing facilities. There is also investment in warehousing and in securing the necessary supply chains.

AI: How do you help customers align with their sustainability goals?

Reutt: Over time the industry has come to understand that certain substances are hazardous to both people and the environment. At present we are working very hard at replacing PFAS (per- and

polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are widely used in automotive manufacturing.

The next generation will provide customers with very high Comparative Tracking Index (CTI) properties in a sustainable way. CTI is a measurement of a material’s resistance to electrical breakdown caused by conductive leakage paths. It is a crucial value for insulation coordination in electronics, indicating how well a material can withstand voltage when exposed to contaminants and humidity.

Schmatloch: We work at different levels in that field.

As part of our development process, we very carefully choose materials that are not expected to become an issue in the future. This is what we call “safe by design.”

Our focus is on the full supply chain, including the sustainability and impact of raw materials, life cycle analysis, and carbon footprint. The objective is total control of the supply chain.

There is also a big requirement from our customers that we use renewable power to reduce the total carbon footprint of our products.

To help them save energy, we have developed adhesive technologies that need less heat to cure, which means they can run their ovens at lower temperatures.

What is next for DuPont?

Reutt: Our goal is to combine more parameters or properties in a single product. For example, on the electronic side, we are creating new materials which are thermally conductive and at the same time micro-absorbing.

The next generation batteries will be based on composite materials where you can have EMV issues. To meet the challenge we provide gaskets, which can be in the form of a pack, with thermal conductivity of up to nine watts per meter Kelvin. The material is also micro-absorbent.

Schmatloch: I think the concept of combining functions is key. It helps our customers to implement lean production. Sustainability is central to DuPont’s Critical to Quality (CTQ) Six Sigma concept that identifies key customer requirements that are crucial for product or service success.

These include the CO₂ footprint of materials.

We will also keep moving and innovating to deliver the technologies needed by our customers, at speed and with the flexibility required in a very dynamic global environment.