A research team led by Professor Kim Ju-heon at Chung-Ang University’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Intelligent Energy and Industry Convergence, with graduate researcher Kim Sang-woo, has developed a composite material that both slows the spread of heat inside lithium-ion batteries and absorbs the heat itself. The findings were published in Chemical Engineering Journal (impact factor 12.5).

In a lithium-ion battery, excessive heat generated in one cell — from an internal short circuit, for instance — can spread rapidly to neighboring cells and trigger a chain reaction. That chain reaction, known as thermal runaway, is a leading cause of EV and energy storage system (ESS) fires.

Where existing materials fall short

Insulation such as polymer foam, ceramic fiber, or aerogel has typically been used to slow how fast heat spreads outside a cell. The problem is that this kind of insulation only delays heat transfer — it doesn’t absorb the heat generated inside the cell. Phase-change materials (PCMs) were seen as a promising alternative because of their high heat-absorption capacity, but they tend to leak or lose structural integrity as they shift from solid to liquid.

Insulation, heat storage and flame resistance in one material

The team’s composite combines a zinc oxide (ZnO)-integrated hydroxyethyl cellulose/lignin (HEC/LGN) aerogel with epoxy and erythritol. The bio-based aerogel handles insulation, while erythritol absorbs latent heat as it shifts from solid to liquid, slowing the rise in temperature. Zinc oxide adds structural stability and flame resistance, addressing the leakage and structural damage that have long plagued phase-change materials. Professor Kim said the material “directly absorbs and stores heat while sharply cutting leakage and fire risk at high temperatures.” What sets it apart from prior single-function materials is that it combines insulation, heat storage, and flame resistance in one composite.

What’s still open

The published material doesn’t include quantitative results — such as how much the temperature rise was reduced or how much heat the composite absorbed — or a commercialization timeline. The team says it’s evaluating the material for use in EV battery modules and packs and large-scale ESS to slow rapid cell-to-cell heat transfer, but whether it can be manufactured at battery-pack scale, and how its cost compares to existing insulation, remain open questions for follow-up research. It’s also unclear whether the same approach holds up in cells that have already degraded, such as used batteries headed for second-life or remanufacturing applications. ARC Current will be watching for cases where this material is actually applied to battery pack designs.

For context: thermal runaway is one of the central safety concerns in Korea’s EV and ESS battery ecosystem, and it becomes an even bigger question for degraded, used batteries being considered for reuse — where thermal behavior is harder to predict than in new cells.

Source: [E News Today] “중앙대 김주헌 교수팀, 배터리 열폭주 막는 차세대 열관리 복합소재 개발” (http://www.enewstoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=2455333)

Source: [Beyond Post] “‘단열·열저장’ 동시에…중앙대 연구팀, 바이오 기반 ‘열관리 복합소재’ 개발” (http://www.beyondpost.co.kr/view.php?ud=20260803122936246592e75d13a3_30)

Paper: Kim, S. et al., “Zinc oxide-integrated hydroxyethyl cellulose/lignin aerogel–epoxy/erythritol composite for multifunctional thermal insulation,” Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026.