Energy Storage and Power Adhesives Guide

This guide explains what design engineers need to know about selecting energy storage and power adhesives, a category of materials you’ll find on Gluespec. These products include structural adhesives, electrically conductive adhesives, thermal adhesives, and thread lockers. These products come in a choice of chemistries, cure systems, and one-part or two-part formulations.

Structural adhesives for energy storage and power are designed to withstand load-bearing forces and provide high-strength bonds, typically for the life of an assembly. They can rival welds in terms of shear strength while reducing joint movement and dampening vibrations. Typically, these adhesives use an epoxy or polyurethane chemistry. Some products can bond metal, plastic, or dissimilar substrates.

Electrically conductive adhesives combine strong, reliable adhesion with electrical conductivity. They consist of an electrically-insulating polymer that is filled with metal particles that conduct electricity. Electrically conductive adhesives that are silicone-based also offer protection against moisture and high temperatures while providing shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Thermal adhesives, or thermally conductive adhesives, help to move or dissipate heat in energy storage and power applications. Heat is the enemy of reliable electronics, but high heat is of special concern in applications such as batteries. If the heat generated within a battery exceeds the amount of heat that is dissipated to its surroundings, an uncontrollable self-heating state called thermal runaway may occur.

Thread lockers are adhesives for nuts, bolts, screws, or other threaded fasteners. They form a strong bond that prevents loosening and can withstand stress and vibrations. Although adhesives can replace fasteners completely, some energy storage and power applications need thread lockers to ensure long-lasting and reliable performance.

Types of Energy Storage and Power Adhesives

Gluespec divides energy storage and power adhesives into four main categories:

Battery Systems
Power Supplies
Solar Energy
Wind Energy

Within each category, you can search for products based on technical specifications for curing, bond strength, material resistance, conductivity, and other properties. The following sections describe each category of adhesives in detail. You’ll also find links to technical resources with additional information, either in the Gluespec Knowledge Center or from other trusted resources.

Battery Systems Adhesives

Battery systems adhesives are used in battery cells, battery modules, and battery packs. Structural adhesives, electrically conductive adhesives, thermal adhesives, and thread lockers are available. Adhesives aren’t the only battery system materials you can find on Gluespec, however. Searchable products also include gap fillers, conformal coatings, and materials for potting and encapsulation.

When selecting battery systems adhesives, design engineers need to fully define their application requirements. For example, do you need a strong adhesive that also resists weather and chemicals? Do you need an adhesive that provides electrical conductivity or thermal conductivity instead? Adhesives differ in terms of chemistry, material compatibility, curing speed, and resistance.

Chemistry	Materials	Curing Speed	Environmental & Chemical Resistance	Vibration Resistance
Epoxy	Steel SMC Aluminum Carbon fiber	Low	Excellent	Excellent
Acrylic	Aluminum Steel Plastics	Medium	Good	Excellent
Urethane	Steel Composites Nylon blends PBT	Fast	Okay	Good

Source: 3M

Battery Cell Adhesives

In battery systems, battery cells are individual electrochemical devices that consist of positive and energy plates, a separator, and an electrolyte. Various battery chemistries can be used, but lithium-ion (Li-ion) is the most common because of its combination of power and affordability. In addition to electric vehicles (EVs), applications for Li-ion battery cells include battery energy storage systems (BESS).

In EVs, there are three main types of battery cells: cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch. Cylindrical cells are the least expensive but are limited in terms of power. Prismatic cells are physically larger and can deliver more power and store more energy. Pouch cells provide the most power but have a soft plastic case that provides limited mechanical resistance.

Structural adhesives are used during battery cell construction, but low-pressure molding compounds are used to encase cells in a single unit. Examples of battery cell adhesives include Wacker Elastosil LR 3842/50 A/B. This two-part, paste-like adhesive has a silicone chemistry and cures rapidly with heat. It’s one of over 100 battery systems materials you’ll find on Gluespec.

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Battery Module Adhesives

Battery modules are groups of battery cells that are connected in series or parallel. Structural adhesives provide bonding and electrically conductive adhesives can provide specific levels of EMI shielding. Battery module materials also include thermally conductive adhesives that can withstand high temperatures and help dissipate excessive heat.

Dowsil 3-6265 Thixotropic Adhesive and Resinlab SEC 1222 are examples of battery modules adhesives that you’ll find on Gluespec.

Dowsil 3-2625 Thixotropic Adhesive is a one-part, non-flowing adhesive with high tensile strength. Applications include base plate attachment with EV battery modules.
Resinlab SEC 1222 Adhesive is a silver-filled, two-part epoxy adhesive that combines electrical conductivity with resistance to water, chemicals, and salt spray.

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Battery Pack Adhesives

Battery packs are a series of individual modules and related systems that are organized and enclosed into a specific shape to fit a larger product, such as the battery compartment within an EV. Structural adhesives, electrically conductive adhesives, and thread lockers are all used. Additional battery pack materials include sealants and gap fillers.

Henkel Loctite H3500 and 3M TC-2810 are two examples of battery pack adhesives you’ll find on Gluespec.

Henkel Loctite H3500 is a two-part, acrylic adhesive that provides high-strength bonds and that adheres to various metals and plastics.
3M TC-2810 is a two-part epoxy adhesive that contains boron nitride (BN) filler for good thermal conductivity.

Explore Battery Pack Products

Tech Specs

Here are some of the technical specifications for battery systems adhesives

Type	Spec	Definition
Cure	Viscosity (cPs)	A measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow.
Bond Strength	Shear Strength (psi)	The ability of a material to resist forces that cause the material’s internal structure to slide against itself.
Conductivity	Dissipation Factor	A measure of loss-rate of energy of a mode of oscillation (mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical) in a dissipative system
Other Properties	Specific Gravity	The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of some substance (such as pure water) taken as a standard when both densities are obtained by weighing in air

Resources

Here are some additional resources about battery systems adhesives.

Power Supplies Adhesives

Power supplies adhesives are used to attach heatsinks and other components within AC/DC power supplies that convert electric current and provide electric power to electrical loads. Adhesives aren’t the only power supply materials you’ll find on Gluespec, and searchable products include pottants, encapsulants, sealants, conformal coatings, and gap fillers.

Unlike mechanical fasteners, power supply adhesives are lightweight and non-corrosive. They can also eliminate the need for fastener insertion and attachment while supporting high-volume, automated production. Applications for power supply adhesives include EV chargers and electrical vehicles as well as BESS solutions that leverage wind or solar power.

Power supply adhesives can provide structural bonding, but some applications need thermal management materials that dissipate heat. Thermally conductive adhesives that use silicone, epoxy, or urethane chemistries come in one-part and two-part systems with different curing methods. For example, Dow 3145 RTV Clear Adhesive/Sealant is a one-part, moisture-cured power supply adhesive.

Explore Power Supplies Adhesives

Tech Specs

Here are some of the technical specifications for power supplies adhesives.

Type	Spec	Definition
Cure	Linear Shrinkage (%)	Escape of volatile substances or chemical changes that result in volume decrease or contraction of a material. The amount of dimensional change during the cure process.
Hardness	Flexibility	The ability to bend easily or without breaking
Conductivity	Dielectric Strength (V/mil)	The electrical strength of an insulating material
Other Properties	Light Refractive Index (RI)	A value calculated from the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in a second medium of greater density

Resources

Here are some additional resources about power supplies adhesives.

Solar Energy Adhesives

Solar energy adhesives are used for structural bonding during the installation or repair of photovoltaic (PV) panels. In addition to thin-film roof assembly, they’re used for attaching junction boxes to PV panels and bonding mirrors to support frames. Acrylate and epoxy adhesives provide strong bonds, but silicone-based adhesives also allow for thermal expansion and contraction without a loss in joint integrity.

Regardless of chemistry, solar energy adhesives provide an effective alternative to mechanical fasteners such as U-bolts and screws. For example, adhesives eliminate stress points and can provide insulation and weatherproofing. Many solar energy adhesives can also bond dissimilar materials. Electrically conductive silicone-based adhesives that are filled with silver particles provide excellent EMI shielding.

In addition to adhesives, Gluespec makes it easy to search for sealants, pottants, encapsulants, and conformal coatings used by the solar industry. Among the solar energy adhesives you can find is WEICON Solar-Flex, a one-part liquid adhesive that’s free of silicone, halogens, and solvents. This elastic adhesive was developed specifically for the solar industry and is white or grey in color.

Explore Solar Energy Adhesives

Tech Specs

Here are some of the technical specifications for solar energy adhesives.

Type	Spec	Definition
Cure	Cure Time (min)	The length of time needed for something to fully cure
Material Resistance	Fungus Resistance	Fungus-resistance tests are used to determine the reaction of adhesives to several species of fungi under high humidity and a warm environment in the presence of inorganic salts
Conductivity	Dielectric Constant	The ratio of an insulator’s capacitance to that of dry air. A dielectric constant of 10 means the insulator will absorb 10x more electrical energy than air
Other Properties	% Solids	The percentage by weight of the nonvolatile matter in an adhesive

Resources

Here are some additional resources about solar energy adhesives.

Wind Energy Adhesives

Wind energy adhesives are used for bonding wind turbine blades during installation and repairs. They’re also used for rotor bonding, yaw drive applications, and for joining gears to shafts. Environmental and vibration resistance are especially important because wind energy adhesives need to withstand a range of weather conditions along with vibrations caused by turbine operations and strong winds.

Unlike fasteners, which are prone to loosening from vibrations, wind energy adhesives distribute pressure points evenly across the entire bond. They also support lightweighting efforts that can improve the quality and lifespan of wind turbine blades, which are typically made of carbon fiber. Today, many wind energy adhesives are designed to bond dissimilar substrates such as metals and plastics.

Often, two-part thixotropic adhesives are used in turbine blade bonding. That’s because the two components, the resin and the hardener, won’t slump after mixing. Examples of wind energy adhesives include Permabond MT3821, a two-part, modified epoxy thixotropic paste that has excellent adhesion to a variety of substrates used in the wind energy industry.

Explore Wind Energy Adhesives

Tech Specs

Here are some of the technical specifications for wind energy adhesives.

Type	Spec	Definition
Cure	Work / Pot Time (min)	The length of time in which multiple part coatings or paints can be applied to a surface
Bond Strength	Peel Strength (piw)	A measure of the adhesive strength of two or more materials that have been bonded together
Bond Strength	Shear Strength (psi)	A measure of a material’s ability to resist forces that cause the material’s internal structure to slide against itself
Hardness	Elongation %	The process of becoming or making something become longer, and often thinner

Resources

Here are some additional resources about wind energy adhesives.

Gluespec is Your Source for Energy Storage and Power Adhesives

Gluespec’s comprehensive and quality-tested database of 27,500 adhesive materials includes the energy storage and power adhesives that design engineers need. The materials and manufacturers in our database are not limited to specific suppliers, and data is quality-checked and updated as needed whenever new data sheets or product specifications are released.

If you need deep data on energy storage and power adhesives or other materials, you’ll find what you’re looking for in our proprietary adhesives database. Along with technical data and key specifications, you’ll find best practices and comparable materials. Design engineers can also view test method information on dozens of material properties and data points.

Finally, Gluespec’s Advanced Search provides the tools you need to conduct deep filtering among all material properties. The result is a customized grid that contains materials and data points that are specific to your project. Save custom grids for quick access and share them, along with this Energy Storage and Power Adhesives Guide, with your colleagues.

Energy Storage and Power Adhesives Guide

Types of Energy Storage and Power Adhesives