1. Battery Separator Developments 2018 - 2019
July, 2019

2. Overview Introduction to the battery applications
Lead Acid Battery manufacturing process
Ahlstrom-Munksjo innovation from Fabriano
Battery separator product portfolio in Fabriano

3. Lead Acid battery application and type
Battery separator technology aligned with Ahlstrom-Munksjo capabilities
Initial platform: Ahlstrom-Munksjo (AM) Fabriano
Automotive
60% of the LAB market in value 80% in volume
400M batteries/year globally
Includes passenger cars, commercial, HEV and EV
Battery types
Standard Flooded Batteries: SFB
Used for start, ignition and lighting – basic functions
Enhanced Flooded Batteries: EFB
Accept more cycle than SFB
Valve Regulated Lead Acid: VRLA (also called AGM as Absorbed Glass Mat)
Higher cyclability, less maintenance
Motive and deepcycle
15% of the LAB market in value 10% in volume
Forklifts, golf carts, railroad, mining (ebike)
Stationary
25% of the LAB market in value 10% in volume
Telecommunication, data centers, back-up, uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

4. Battery manufacturing steps 1/3
1- Grid manufacture
Lead base material for electrode
Function: support active electrode material and collect current
2- Electrode plate manufacture
A lead paste is coated onto the grid
Function: release and adsorb lead charges
The paste is cured in ovens but remains brittle
 Most of battery manufacturers wrap the pasted plate with a paper or a synthetic tissue to prevent workers to be in contact with lead and to prevent dusting of the plate during the use of the operating life of the battery

5. Battery manufacturing steps 2/3
3- Separator insert
During the plate assembly a separator in placed between the positive and negative plates to prevent contact and allow ions to displace freely
 Depending on the battery type and final usage, separator can be either PVC, PE, Rubber films, glass reinforced films and Absorbed Glass Mat
4- Assembly
Placing the plates together and insert then in the battery case

6. Battery manufacturing steps 3/3
5- Connecting and closing
Plates are connected by welding and case is closed
6- Filling, Formation and Test
Filling with electrolyte
Charging
Formation and deep cycle tests

7. Battery separator manufacturing in AM Fabriano
Microglass for AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) in AM Fabriano – main challenging points requiring innovation
Basis weigth : 80 to 340 g/m² - challenging range to achieve good formation at different basis weight
Specific surface area: 1.2 m²/g ; 1.4 m²/g and 1.6 m²/g – challenging raw material flexibility in stock preparation
Product range tested on the machine between July 2018 and July 2019, see table below
19 November November 2019
Source: SuP survey 2018

8. Process innovation in AM Fabriano
High efficiency cleaning system, optimized for battery separators and other microglass products
(optimization of a proprietary process)
Formation process for an optimized microglass structure (proprietary)
Stock preparation of microglass stock designed for wide range of raw materials

9. Results of process improvements
Grades produced in trials between July 2018 and July 2019 show improved Wicking behavior at a given BET level
See tables below to compare with samples from competitors available in the market
AM Fabriano grades
Basis Weigth
Kpa
Acid Wicking
BET
(g/m²) mm
mm/2min
m²/g
BS85-0
 80
 0.5 60
1.2 
BS140-1
130 
 0.8 61
 1.2
BS 230-5
225
1.6 63
BS 230-6 65
1.4
BS350-1
340
2.6 57

10. Conclusions
Process innovation in the Fabriano plant of Ahlstrom-Munksjo has focused on improvements in the formation of battery separator, allowing to reach a range of basis weight up to 340 gsm
Optimized cleaning process for microglass impurities
Flexible formation for a wide range of microglass fibers with a wide range of basis weight
The main outcome has been the possibility to produce trial grades with improved wicking characteristics, covering the full range of BET levels targeted for the trials
Process stability and quality level has allowed to start commercial production of selected grades

11. Thank you!