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- Freudenberg’s Material Innovation
11.12.2024
A Winner: Freudenberg’s Material Innovation For More Battery Safety
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, the global market leader for sealing solutions, is making significant strides in enhancing the safety of modern lithium-ion batteries, thereby advancing the future of electromobility. On Tuesday, this commitment was honored with a renowned industry award. Dr. Ruth Bieringer, Vice President Material Technology at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, received the Meyer-Galow Prize for Industrial Chemistry 2024 for two innovations – the development of high-temperature-resistant plastics and leading-edge flame protection barriers.
Bieringer, who has a doctorate in chemistry and oversees material development at the technology company, accepted the €10,000 award on December 10, 2024. Representatives of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the society’s founder Professor Dr. Erhard Meyer-Galow and others paid tribute to Dr. Bieringer’s creativity and innovative talent.
Convincing patented know-how
The foundation highlighted the development of a new, patented class of plastic materials that was successfully developed by Dr. Ruth Bieringer and her team: Quantix® ULTRA. The Quantix® ULTRA family of materials stands out with its exceptional heat and flame resistance. These plastics will not melt or catch fire even at temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. Processing the material in injection molding is both versatile and economical, enabling the production of complex components. Its lower density compared to metallic materials is an added benefit that makes it even more attractive for modern vehicles, considering their need for lightweight construction. Quantix® ULTRA is a particularly good choice for use in electric vehicles with high requirements for fire protection.
The second innovation honored by the foundation are the flame protection barriers, which the expert developed with her team. These flame protection barriers prevent the spread of flames, gases and particles to other cells and electricity-conducting parts. The team’s achievement involved increasing the heat resistance of silicone rubber by combining it with special fibers and fillers so that even these electrically insulating materials can withstand a temperature of 1,200 degrees Celsius for at least ten minutes. With injection molding or extrusion, the materials can be processed into mats, profiles or complex 3D geometries.
The commercialization of both material families is in full swing. The company is also testing potential further developments for applications beyond electromobility.
About Dr. Ruth Bieringer
Dr. Ruth Bieringer, born in 1971, studied chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, before completing her doctorate in polymer chemistry at the University of Bayreuth in 1999. She then started her career at Freudenberg, which took her through several stations up to her current position. She has been Vice President Material Technology at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies in Weinheim since 2020. She is also a lecturer at the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences in materials science (polymers). In addition, Dr. Bieringer is actively involved in the German Rubber Society (DKG), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the German Institute of Rubber Technology (DIK) and the GDCh. In the latter, Dr. Ruth Bieringer was a Board member of the Macromolecular Chemistry division. She is currently Chairwoman of the Advisory Board of the Dr. Hermann Schnell Foundation, which supports young scientists in the field of macromolecular chemistry, its physical-chemical principles and its analytics. Since January 2024, she has also been a member of the Management Board at the GDCh.
About the Meyer-Galow Prize
The Meyer-Galow Prize for Industrial Chemistry is awarded annually to scientists in German-speaking countries who have successfully introduced a current innovation in chemistry to the market. Its focus is on market launches that prioritize sustainability. The award was donated by Professor Dr. Erhard Meyer-Galow, the former Chairman of the Board of Hüls AG and former President of the GDCh. Meyer-Galow primarily worked at the interface between chemistry and the market and lectured on “Business Chemistry in the Chemical Industry” at the University of Münster.
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