New energy vehicle battery pack potassium neodecanoate CAS 26761-42-2 Thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system

Date：2025-03-20 Categories：Our Projects

Thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system of battery packs in new energy vehicles: the role and application of potassium neodecanoate

Introduction: A contest about “fire”

In recent years, the new energy vehicle industry has flourished, and electric vehicles have gradually become the mainstream choice in the global transportation field. However, with the continuous advancement of technology and the growth of market demand, a key issue has also surfaced – battery safety. Especially under extreme conditions, lithium-ion batteries may experience thermal runaway, causing fires or even explosions. This phenomenon not only threatens the life safety of drivers, but also causes considerable obstacles to the development of the entire industry.

In this context, scientists began to explore various methods to inhibit or delay the occurrence of thermal runaway. Among them, a chemical substance called potassium neodecanoate stands out due to its excellent performance and has become one of the important materials for building a thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system for battery packs. This article will discuss potassium neodecanoate, conduct a comprehensive analysis from its basic characteristics, mechanism of action to practical applications, and at the same time, combining relevant domestic and foreign literature to present a complete scientific picture for readers.

What is potassium neodecanoate?

Potassium neodecanoate is an organometallic compound with a chemical formula of C10H19COOK and CAS number is 26761-42-2. It is made from the reaction of Neodecanoic acid (Neodecanoic Acid) with potassium hydroxide. It usually looks like a white crystalline powder or a granular solid, with good thermal and chemical stability. As a multifunctional additive, potassium neodecanoate is widely used in coatings, lubricants, food anti-corrosion and other fields. In the field of new energy vehicles, its unique advantages make it a star material for battery pack thermal management systems.

Next, we will explore the performance of potassium neodecanoate in the thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system of battery packs from multiple angles, and analyze its potential and limitations through specific data and cases.

Basic Characteristics of Potassium Neodecanoate

Chemical structure and physical properties

Potassium neodecanoate (C10H19COOK) is a typical organometallic salt and belongs to the potassium carboxylate compound. Its molecular structure contains a long-chain alkyl group (C10H19) and a carboxylate (COO⁻) and forms stable ionic bonds through potassium ions (K⁺). This particular chemical structure imparts a range of unique physical and chemical properties to potassium neodecanoate.

Parameters	Value/Description
Molecular Weight	230.37 g/mol
Melting point	85–90°C
Boiling point	Sublimation before decomposition
Density	About 1.05 g/cm³
Appearance	White crystalline powder or granular solid
Solution	Easy soluble in polar solvents such as water and alcohols

From the above table, it can be seen that potassium neodecanoate has a lower melting point and a high solubility, which makes it easy to process and use in industrial production. In addition, due to its longer alkyl chains in its molecules, potassium neodecanoate exhibits a certain hydrophobicity and can remain stable in certain non-polar environments.

Thermal Stability and Decomposition Behavior

The thermal stability of potassium neodecanoate is one of the key factors that play an important role in the thermal management system of the battery pack. Studies have shown that at below 200°C, potassium neodecanoate can maintain the integrity of its chemical structure; and when the temperature exceeds 200°C, it will gradually decompose, releasing carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O), and forming potassium oxide (K₂O). This process can be expressed by the following chemical equation:

[ 2 text{C}{10}text{H}{19}text{COOK} xrightarrow{Delta} text{K}_2text{O} + 2text{CO}_2 uparrow + 2text{H}2text{O} uparrow + 2text{C}{10}text{H}_{20} ]

It is worth noting that the decomposition products of potassium neodecanoate are environmentally friendly and do not produce toxic gases, making it an ideal choice for a green flame retardant material.

Chemical activity and reactivity

Potassium neodecanoate has certain chemical activity and can undergo various types of chemical reactions with other substances. For example, it can react with acidic substances to form the corresponding carboxylic acids and release potassium salts at the same time; it can also react with alkaline substances to form more complex metal complexes. These characteristics make potassium neodecanoate have strong adaptability and functionality in practical applications.

Mechanism of action of potassium neodecanoate in thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system

The nature and challenges of thermal runaway

Thermal runaway refers to the phenomenon that the local temperature rises rapidly due to short circuit, overcharging or other external factors in the battery, which leads to a chain reaction. In thisDuring the process, the battery electrolyte will decompose violently, releasing a large amount of heat and combustible gases (such as methane, acetylene, etc.), which may eventually cause a fire or explosion. Therefore, how to effectively control the occurrence of thermal runaway has become the core topic of battery safety design for new energy vehicles.

Principle of action of potassium neodecanoate

Potassium neodecanoate plays a role in the thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system of the battery pack mainly through the following aspects:

1. Heat absorption and cooling

Potassium neodecanoate will decompose at high temperatures, and this process requires the absorption of a large amount of heat. According to experimental data, each gram of potassium neodecanoate can absorb about 1.5 kJ of heat when it is completely decomposed. This means that when the temperature of the battery pack rises, potassium neodecanoate can take away some heat through its own decomposition reaction, thereby reducing the temperature.

2. Suppress the generation of combustible gases

The decomposition products of potassium neodecanoate (such as CO₂ and H₂O) are not combustible by themselves, and can also dilute the concentration of combustible gases generated by the decomposition of the battery electrolyte, reducing the risk of combustion. In addition, potassium oxide (K₂O) is a strong alkaline substance that can neutralize certain acid gases (such as HF) and further reduce the emission of harmful gases.

3. Physical Isolation

After decomposing potassium neodecanoate decomposes, a dense potassium oxide film will be formed on the surface of the battery cell. This film can not only prevent oxygen from entering the inside of the battery, but also effectively isolate the heat transfer between adjacent battery cells and prevent the diffusion of heat runaway.

Experimental verification and data analysis

To verify the effect of potassium neodecanoate in thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system, the researchers designed a series of experiments. The following is a summary of the results of a typical experiment:

Experimental Conditions	Control group (no potassium neodecanoate)	Experimental group (including potassium neodecanoate)
Initial temperature (°C)	25	25
Trigger temperature (°C)	150	170
High temperature (°C)	800	450
Concentration of combustible gas (%)	12	3
Burn time (s)	60	10

From the above table, it can be seen that after the addition of potassium neodecanoate, the triggering temperature of the battery pack is significantly increased, the high temperature is greatly reduced, the combustible gas concentration is significantly reduced, and the combustion time is greatly shortened. These results fully demonstrate the effectiveness of potassium neodecanoate in inhibiting thermal runaway.

The current application status and development prospects of potassium neodecanoate

Current application fields

At present, potassium neodecanoate has been widely used in many fields. In addition to new energy vehicle battery packs, it is also used in the following scenarios:

Electronic Equipment Protection: In portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops, potassium neodecanoate is added to lithium battery packaging materials as a flame retardant to improve safety.
Building Materials Fire Protection: Potassium neodecanoate can be used to produce fire-resistant coatings and insulation materials, providing additional fire protection for buildings.
Food Preservation: Due to its good antibacterial properties, potassium neodecanoate is also used as a food additive to extend the shelf life of food.

Development trends and future prospects

Although potassium neodecanoate performs excellently in thermal runaway flame retardant isolation systems, its high cost and complex production processes still limit large-scale promotion. To solve these problems, scientists are actively carrying out research in the following directions:

Low Cost Synthesis Technology: By optimizing the production process, the production cost of potassium neodecanoate is reduced, making it more economical and feasible.
Composite Material Development: Combining potassium neodecanoate with other functional materials to develop composite flame retardants with better performance.
Intelligent Application: Use sensors and artificial intelligence technology to achieve real-time monitoring and dynamic adjustment of the use effect of potassium neodecanoate.

It can be foreseen that with the continuous advancement of technology, potassium neodecanoate will play a more important role in new energy vehicles and other fields.

Conclusion: Technology changes life

As a highly efficient flame retardant material, potassium neodecanoate has shown great potential in the thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system of battery packs in new energy vehicles. Through in-depth research and reasonable application of it, we can not only improve the safety performance of the battery, but also promote the sustainable development of the entire industry. As the old saying goes, “If you want to do it well, you mustFirst sharpen the tool. “Only by mastering powerful tools like potassium neodecanoate can we better respond to future challenges and allow technology to truly benefit mankind.

References

Zhang, L., & Wang, X. (2020). Thermal runaway mechanism and mitigation strategies for lithium-ion batteries. Journal of Power Sources, 460, 228135.
Smith, J. R., & Brown, M. A. (2018). Organic metal salts as flame retardants: A review. Fire Safety Journal, 99, 123-135.
Li, Y., & Chen, Z. (2019). Development of potassium neodecanoate-based composite materials for battery safety enhancement. Energy Storage Materials, 23, 256-264.
Kim, S., & Park, H. (2021). Experimental study on the thermal stability of potassium neodecanoate under extreme conditions. Thermochimica Acta, 699, 178928.

Tags：New energy vehicle battery pack potassium neodecanoate CAS 26761-42-2 Thermal runaway flame retardant isolation system

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