Materials

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Ricardo develops rare earth and copper free, electric propulsion motor

Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental and engineering consulting company, has designed, developed and tested a prototype electric propulsion module, Alumotor, an innovative rare earth metal free synchronous reluctance motor.

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New manufacturing innovations offer EV weight loss

The quest for greater efficiency and range in EVs is often focused on battery technology and drivetrain efficiency, but fundamental physics point to another key factor in the equation: weight. The increasingly popular move from 400V to 800V systems saves weight through lighter cables, but even reductions of a few kilogrammes can make a tangible difference and one company is exploring innovations in sheet metal that could change the game.

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Analysis finds Altilium’s CAM outperforms virgin mined materials

Altilium has announced the results of research by Imperial College London, revealing that its recycled cathode materials (CAM) match and outperform virgin mined materials – a critical milestone in the bid to meet net-zero targets.

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Recycling cathode materials using galvanic corrosion

Researchers in Korea have developed a cost-effective and eco-friendly technology for recycling cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries through a simple process within an existing cell without the need for disassembly, writes Nick Flaherty.

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Magnesium electrolyte sparks next-generation battery design

University of Waterloo researchers have made a key breakthrough in developing next-generation batteries made of magnesium instead of lithium. When the idea to create batteries using magnesium was first shared in a seminal academic paper in 2000, the novel design didn’t provide enough voltage to compete with lithium-ion batteries.

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SSAB and Trelleborg team up to supply fossil-free steel shims

SSAB has reached an agreement with Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Kalmar to deliver fossil-free steel for use in the latter’s anti-squeal plates, which are shims for brake pads.

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Gap fillers and TIMs

Peter Donaldson examines the shifting demands on thermal interface materials and suppliers’ innovative responses. Thermal interface materials (TIMs), including gap fillers, are crucial for managing heat in battery packs, sensors and electronics in e-mobility applications. Their developers have to meet changing demands from battery builders and vehicle OEMs as they implement novel architectures moving into cell-to-pack, cell-to-chassis and cell-to-body schemes.

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Korean aluminium alloy boosts thermal stability

Researchers in Korea have developed an aluminium alloy for EVs that dramatically improves thermal stability, writes Nick Flaherty. The team at the Korea Institute of Material Science (KIMS) identified a new mechanism by which the nanostructures inside aluminium alloys work, and the alloys they have developed improve thermal stability by up to 140%, compared with existing aluminium ones.

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Global production for custom magnetics using AI algorithms

Frenetic Electronics has launched a global production service for its custom magnetics designs, writes Nick Flaherty. Frenetic Factory produces inductors, transformers and EMI filters, based on a free web design and analysis tool called Core Optimizer. This uses AI-based algorithms trained by the engineers at Frenetic.

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Carbon-fibre material can store electrical energy

A spinout from Chalmers University, Sweden, has developed a carbon-fibre material that stores electrical energy and forms part of an EV’s structure, writes Nick Flaherty. Sinonus is commercialising a conformal battery using the material that doubles as electrodes. It has demonstrated the potential of its technology by replacing AAA batteries in low-power products in its lab. It is expanding to EVs and aircraft.

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