The role of polyurethane composite antioxidants in electric vehicle charging facilities

Polyurethane composite antioxidant: "Guardian" in electric vehicle charging facilities

1. Introduction

With the transformation of the global energy structure and the improvement of environmental awareness, electric vehicles (Electric Vehicle, EV) have gradually become the main development direction of future transportation. As an important infrastructure to support the operation of electric vehicles, the performance and stability of charging facilities directly affect the user's travel experience and the healthy development of the entire industry. However, in high voltage and high current operating environments, charging equipment and its key materials are easily affected by adverse factors such as oxidation and aging, thereby reducing service life and increasing safety hazards. Therefore, how to delay the aging process of materials and improve the durability of equipment through technical means has become one of the key points of researchers' attention.

As a high-performance additive, polyurethane composite antioxidant has been widely used in the field of electric vehicle charging facilities in recent years. It can not only effectively inhibit the performance degradation caused by oxidation reaction during use of polyurethane materials, but also significantly improve the mechanical strength, flexibility and weather resistance of the materials, providing reliable protection for charging facilities. This article will start from the basic principles of polyurethane composite antioxidants and deeply explore its specific role in electric vehicle charging facilities, and analyze it in combination with relevant domestic and foreign literature to provide reference for industry development.

2. Basic knowledge of polyurethane composite antioxidants

(I) Definition and Classification

Polyurethane composite antioxidants are a class of chemicals specially used to prevent or slow down the oxidative degradation of polyurethane materials. According to its mechanism of action, it can be divided into the following categories:

Main antioxidant
The main antioxidant mainly interrupts the oxidation chain reaction by capturing free radicals, thus playing an antioxidant role. Common main antioxidants include hindered phenolic compounds (such as BHT), phosphite compounds, etc.
Supplemented antioxidants
The auxiliary antioxidants focus on decomposing hydroperoxides to prevent them from further induced oxidation reactions. Typical auxiliary antioxidants include thiodipropionate, phosphite, etc.
Synonymous Antioxidants
Synergistic antioxidants are made up of the main antioxidant and the auxiliary antioxidant, which can give full play to the advantages of both and achieve better antioxidant effects.

(II) Working principle

Polyurethane materials are prone to oxidation reactions under high temperature, light or electric field, forming free radicals and triggering chain reactions, which ultimately leads to deterioration of material properties. Polyurethane composite antioxidants inhibit this process by:

Capture free radicals: The main antioxidant can quickly bind to the free radicals to form a stable compound, thereby preventing the continued oxidative chain reaction.
Decomposition of hydroperoxides: Coupon antioxidants can decompose hydroperoxide into harmless small molecules, reducing the possibility of secondary oxidation.
Synergy Effect: When two or more antioxidants are used in combination, they will produce synergistic effects, further improving antioxidant capacity.

3. Application of polyurethane composite antioxidants in electric vehicle charging facilities

(I) Material requirements for electric vehicle charging facilities

Electric vehicle charging facilities mainly include charging pile shells, cable sheaths, insulation layers and internal connections. Most of these parts are made of polyurethane material because polyurethane has excellent wear resistance, elasticity and processing properties. However, since charging facilities are exposed to outdoor environments for a long time and need to withstand high temperature changes and ultraviolet radiation, polyurethane materials are very prone to aging, such as discoloration, cracking and even breakage. This not only affects the appearance of the device, but may also cause functional failure and threaten user security.

In order to extend the service life of the charging facility and ensure its normal operation, it is particularly important to add an appropriate amount of polyurethane composite antioxidant.

(Bi) Analysis of specific effects

Delaying material aging
Polyurethane composite antioxidants can effectively inhibit the occurrence of oxidation reactions and enable polyurethane materials to maintain their original physical and chemical properties. For example, after adding antioxidants to the charging pile shell, the shell can maintain good gloss and hardness even after years of wind and sun exposure.
Enhance weather resistance
Charging piles are usually installed outdoors and face the test of extreme weather conditions (such as high temperature, low temperature, and humidity). Polyurethane composite antioxidants significantly improve their adaptability to harsh environments by stabilizing the internal structure of the material.
Improving mechanical properties
The presence of antioxidants helps maintain the flexibility and strength of the polyurethane material, making it less likely to break if it is repeatedly bent or stretched. This is especially important for cable sheaths, as the cable needs to be flexible enough to facilitate installation and maintenance.
Ensure electrical insulation performance
Inside the charging facility, the integrity of the insulation layer is directly related to electricity safety. Polyurethane composite antioxidants prevent insulating materials from losing their insulation capacity due to aging, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits.

IV. Product parameters of polyurethane composite antioxidants

The following is a comparison table of technical parameters of several common polyurethane composite antioxidants:

Brand/Model	Type	Appearance	Melting point (℃)	Additional amount (wt%)	Features
Antioxidant A	Stealed Phenols	White Powder	120~130	0.3~0.5	Efficiently capture free radicals, suitable for high temperature environments
Antioxidant B	Phosophites	Light yellow liquid	–	0.1~0.3	Hydroperoxide decomposition has strong ability and is suitable for use with other antioxidants
Antioxidant C	Synergy	White particles	80~90	0.5~1.0	Excellent comprehensive performance, widely used in outdoor weather-resistant products
Antioxidant D	Thiodipropionate	Talk Liquid	–	0.2~0.4	Stable for ultraviolet light, especially suitable for photovoltaic components and charging pile shells

Note: When using it, the appropriate antioxidant type and ratio should be selected according to the specific application scenario.

5. Current status of domestic and foreign research

(I) Progress in foreign research

European and American countries began to explore the application of polyurethane composite antioxidants in the industrial field as early as the late 20th century. For example, DuPont has developed a new synergistic antioxidant formula designed for electric vehicle charging facilities that can maintain material performance for up to 10 years of service life. In addition, the German BASF Group has also launched a series of high-performance antioxidant products, and its core technology is to improve the uniform distribution of antioxidants in the substrate through nano-scale dispersion technology.

(II) Domestic research results

In recent years, my country's scientific research institutions and enterprises have made significant breakthroughs in the field of polyurethane composite antioxidants. The team from the Department of Chemical Engineering of Tsinghua University proposed an antioxidant system based on an intelligent response mechanism, which can automatically adjust antioxidant activity according to changes in the external environment, greatly improving the adaptability of the material. At the same time, a chemical company in Jiangsu successfully achieved low-cost large-scale production, which steadily increased the share of this type of product in the domestic market.

VI. Case Analysis

(I) Practical application of a certain brand of charging piles

A well-known brand charging pile manufacturer has introduced the polyurethane composite antioxidant C in its products. After three years of field testing, it has shown that compared with traditional polyurethane materials without antioxidants, the surface yellowing rate of the new formula materials is reduced by 70%, the mechanical strength is improved by 20%, and the overall life is increased by about 50%.

(II) International Project Cooperation

In a multinational cooperation project, a Chinese company and a German partner jointly developed a charging pile shell material suitable for extremely cold areas. By optimizing the antioxidant formula, the material successfully overcomes the problem of low-temperature brittle cracking and meets the strict usage requirements of the Nordic region.

7. Development trends and prospects

As the electric vehicle market continues to expand, the demand for charging facilities will continue to grow, which puts higher demands on polyurethane composite antioxidants. Future research directions may include the following aspects:

Green and environmentally friendly: Develop new antioxidants that are low in toxic and easy to degrade to reduce their impact on the environment.
Intelligent upgrade: Use IoT technology and sensors to monitor material status and adjust antioxidant activity in real time.
Multifunctional Integration: Combine antioxidants with other functional additives (such as flame retardants, antibacterial agents) to create a comprehensive protection solution.

8. Conclusion

Polyurethane composite antioxidants are like an unknown but indispensable "guardian", providing strong guarantees for electric vehicle charging facilities. It not only extends the service life of the equipment, but also reduces maintenance costs and promotes sustainable development throughout the industry. As the ancients said, "If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools." Only by constantly improving material technology can electric vehicles truly drive towards a better tomorrow!