August 5, 2025 • 11 mins
What if I told you that something as seemingly simple as adhesive is reshaping the future of electric vehicles and sustainable manufacturing? In this episode of Adhesion Matters, we take a deep dive into how DuPont’s BETAFORCE™ adhesive line is quietly powering the next generation of ultra-light, high-performance, and eco-conscious vehicles.
What’s Inside:
- Not Just Sticky, Strategic
BETAFORCE™ isn’t your average glue—it’s a high-performance bonding solution that enables the automotive industry to rethink how vehicles are built. We unravel how this technology makes multi-material designs (think carbon fiber to aluminum) both possible and dependable. - From DuPont’s Innovation Roots to EV Mastery
Rooted in decades of material science leadership, BETAFORCE™ builds on DuPont’s legacy (and the former Dow-derived BETAMATE™ heritage) to deliver room-temperature curing, primerless application, and rapid cycle times—ideal for high-volume production. - Built for Efficiency and Sustainability
Adhesives that cure quickly and at ambient temperature are energy savers. Add in formulations with up to 30% renewable, bio-based materials, and you've got high performance with a lighter environmental footprint. - Strength, Safety, and Structure
Continuous bond lines created by BETAFORCE™ don’t just stick parts together—they absorb vibrations, reduce noise, prevent corrosion, and distribute impact energy more effectively than fasteners ever could. - Real-World Impact
Learn how vehicles like the BMW i3 (largely bonded with BETAFORCE™) and the Audi e-tron (using a thermally conductive variant) illustrate adhesive innovation in action. These bonds win awards—and they win on the road. - Vision for a Circular Automotive Future
DuPont is already looking ahead—not just to bonding, but to debonding. Imagine adhesives that can be intelligently released for repair or recycling. It’s emerging science today but tomorrow’s industry game-changer.
Why Listen?
If you're curious about how invisible materials underpin structural safety, manufacturing sustainability, and EV evolution—or how chemistry meets automotive ambition—this episode is your front-row seat to the unseen forces bonding the future of mobility.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lucas Adheron (00:00):
It's amazing how much happens behind the scenes,
right?
The invisible stuff that shapesour world.
Elena Bondwell (00:05):
Totally.
Materials, forces.
We rarely think about them.
Lucas Adheron (00:09):
Take a car.
So complex.
And now electric vehicles.
Everyone talks batteries.
But what if like the futurehinges on something much
smaller?
Elena Bondwell (00:19):
It often does.
And in the auto industry rightnow.
A really big, quiet change ishappening, driven by advanced
adhesives.
Lucas Adheron (00:27):
Adhesives.
Okay, that's what we're digginginto today.
We're going deep on how these,well, seemingly simple materials
are actually revolutionizingcar design, safety, performance,
especially for EVs.
Elena Bondwell (00:38):
Yeah, and we've sifted through a lot for you.
Industry papers, research,company info, interviews.
The goal is really to pull outthe key stuff, the surprising
bits.
Lucas Adheron (00:47):
Exactly.
To give you the core insightswithout drowning you in data.
And here's nugget number one tokick us off.
Making the leap from combustionengines to EVs.
It depends like massively onwhat holds the vehicle together.
Elena Bondwell (01:01):
It really does.
It's not just swapping out theengine.
The whole structure is beingrethought and adhesives are
fundamental to that rethinking.
Lucas Adheron (01:07):
So let's unpack that.
Carmakers are pushing hard forlight weighting.
Elena Bondwell (01:11):
Making cars lighter.
It's key.
Lucas Adheron (01:13):
Right.
Better fuel efficiency forolder cars.
Way more range for EVs.
Less CO2.
All good things.
Elena Bondwell (01:20):
But it's tricky.
Because lightweighting meansusing a whole mix of materials
together.
Carbon fiber, composites,different steels, aluminum.
Lucas Adheron (01:28):
All in the same car body.
Ow.
And that's where the old wayslike welding or using nuts and
bolts run into trouble, right?
Elena Bondwell (01:35):
Big trouble.
Welding different metals.
You can get galvanic corrosion.
It's like a tiny battery eatingaway at the metal.
Yikes.
Yeah.
Or the heat from welding canjust damage the materials and
composites.
You can't weld fibers.
It just doesn't work.
The strength comes from thefibers.
Lucas Adheron (01:50):
Okay.
So welding is problematic.
What about fasteners, screws,rivets?
Elena Bondwell (01:55):
They have their own issues.
You're drilling holes, whichinherently weakens the material
right there, creating Thegalvanic corrosion again.
Exactly.
Adhesives can often act as aninsulator between those
(02:17):
materials.
Lucas Adheron (02:18):
So the big question becomes...
How do you join all thisdifferent stuff reliably without
adding weight or causingproblems down the road?
Elena Bondwell (02:27):
And that's where adhesives really shine.
Instead of joining at pointslike a rivet, they create a
continuous bond line.
Lucas Adheron (02:34):
Okay, covering more area.
Elena Bondwell (02:35):
Right, which maximizes the surface for load
transfer.
That means better strength,better distribution of stress,
and just, you know, much betterdurability overall.
Lucas Adheron (02:46):
So it's not just sticking parts A and B together.
It's enabling completelydifferent ways to design and
build a car.
Elena Bondwell (02:51):
Precisely.
Automakers can move away fromjust bending metal into shape.
They can create these reallysophisticated hybrid structures
using multiple materialsoptimized for specific jobs.
Lucas Adheron (03:02):
Plus, I imagine it looks cleaner.
No rivets or weld marks.
Elena Bondwell (03:05):
Definitely an aesthetic benefit.
Yeah.
And it cuts out steps inmanufacturing.
No need to punch all thoseholes.
Lucas Adheron (03:10):
Okay, so adhesives are clearly a huge
advantage.
And you mentioned DuPont andtheir Betaforce line are big
players here.
Elena Bondwell (03:17):
Yeah, DuPont is a fascinating company.
Started way back makinggunpowder Now a giant in
chemistry and materials.
Think Lycra, no mix.
Lucas Adheron (03:26):
Wow.
Okay.
Quite the history.
Elena Bondwell (03:29):
And that history of innovation feeds into
Betaforce.
It actually builds onpioneering work from Dow
Automotive, like their Betamateadhesives, which DuPont acquired
and really refined.
Lucas Adheron (03:40):
So what makes Betaforce special?
What are its superpowers?
Elena Bondwell (03:43):
Well, first off, its ability to join really
diverse materials is prettyincredible.
Carbon fiber to aluminum,composites to steel, SMC to
aluminum.
It handles these combinationsexceptionally well.
Lucas Adheron (03:54):
Which is exactly what's needed for those
multi-material designs we talkedabout.
Elena Bondwell (03:58):
Exactly.
And then there's themanufacturing side.
This is huge.
Lucas Adheron (04:01):
How so?
Elena Bondwell (04:02):
Beta force cures at room temperature.
Lucas Adheron (04:04):
No ovens.
Elena Bondwell (04:05):
No massive energy guzzling ovens needed for
curing the adhesive.
Think about the energy savingson a production line making
thousands of cars.
It's significant.
Lucas Adheron (04:14):
That is a big deal.
What else?
Elena Bondwell (04:16):
Often it doesn't need a primer before applying
it.
Lucas Adheron (04:18):
Simplifying the process.
Elena Bondwell (04:20):
Right.
Fewer steps, fewer chemicals.
Plus, the cycle times areincredibly fast.
We're talking around a minute.
Lucas Adheron (04:25):
A minute for a structural bond.
Elena Bondwell (04:27):
Yep.
A essential for keeping up withmass production speeds.
And they can even adjust theopen time, how long you have to
position the parts forflexibility on the line.
Lucas Adheron (04:35):
That's impressive efficiency.
And sustainability, does ittick that box too?
Elena Bondwell (04:40):
It does.
Betaforce actually containsabout 30% renewable and
bio-based materials by weight.
So high performance and abetter environmental profile.
Lucas Adheron (04:49):
Okay, let's shift to how this affects the car
after it's built.
Performance, safety.
Elena Bondwell (04:54):
Well, enabling later materials is the first big
win.
Better efficiency, longer EVrange, we covered that.
But it also improves the feelof the car.
Oh.
Acoustics, noise, vibration,harshness, NVH, they call it.
That continuous bond linedampens vibrations much better
than port fasteners.
So a quieter, smoother ride.
(05:14):
I
Lucas Adheron (05:15):
hadn't thought of that.
And structurally, safety.
Elena Bondwell (05:17):
It acts as that barrier against corrosion
between dissimilar metals, whichis key for long-term integrity.
Lucas Adheron (05:23):
Right, the galvanic thing.
Elena Bondwell (05:25):
And in a crash...
This is crucial.
Adhesives distribute impactforces over a much larger area
compared to fasteners.
Lucas Adheron (05:33):
Instead of concentrating the force at
specific points.
Elena Bondwell (05:36):
Exactly.
It helps the whole structureabsorb energy more effectively.
Think of it like spreading theload.
Plus, these adhesives maintaintheir strength even at high
temperatures, and they have thisgreat combination of stiffness,
what they call modulus andstretchiness, or elongation,
before breaking.
That helps hold the vehicletogether under extreme stress.
Lucas Adheron (05:56):
That sounds like amazing.
safety upgrade.
Can you give some real worldexamples?
Where is beta force actuallybeing used?
Elena Bondwell (06:01):
Oh, all over the place.
Roofs, tailgates, doors, hoods,spoilers, even the core
passenger cell structure.
Lucas Adheron (06:07):
Any specific cars that stand out?
Elena Bondwell (06:09):
The BMW i3 is a classic example.
Its passenger compartment ismade of carbon fiber and beta
force was the key joiningtechnology.
The whole structure was prettymuch bonded, not fastened.
Lucas Adheron (06:19):
Wow.
Almost entirely adhesive based.
Elena Bondwell (06:22):
Yeah.
And they optimized it for thosesuper fast one minute cycle
times.
The Audi EVA8 is another onethat uses it to attach
lightweight parts like a carbonfiber rear wall, which helps
make the car incredibly stiffand handle well.
Lucas Adheron (06:35):
So it's not just niche, it's in mainstream and
high performance vehicles.
Elena Bondwell (06:38):
Definitely widespread.
Lucas Adheron (06:39):
Okay, so structural bonding is one thing,
but you mentioned EVsspecifically.
What about the battery packitself?
That seems like a wholedifferent challenge.
Elena Bondwell (06:47):
It absolutely is.
The stakes with EV batteriesare incredibly high.
You've got to manage heat,prevent thermal runaway, which
is, you know, fires.
Lucas Adheron (06:55):
Big fear factor.
Elena Bondwell (06:56):
Right.
You need them to last 10, 15years or more.
And they need to bestructurally sound, especially
as designs keep changing to packmore energy in.
Lucas Adheron (07:05):
So safety, longevity, structural integrity,
tough combination.
How do adhesives like betaforce, and I think you mentioned
beta tech, help here?
Elena Bondwell (07:15):
Beta force is vital for bonding and sealing
the battery housing itself.
protecting it from water, dirtimpacts, but also helping manage
heat and contributing to crashsafety for the pack.
Lucas Adheron (07:26):
So it's structure and protection.
Elena Bondwell (07:28):
Yes.
And it enables these newercell-to-pack or even
cell-to-vehicle designs.
Lucas Adheron (07:34):
What does that mean exactly?
Elena Bondwell (07:35):
Basically, removing layers of packaging
around the battery cells to fitmore energy and less space.
But that means the adhesive hasto do more work holding things
together structurally andhelping manage the heat.
Lucas Adheron (07:46):
OK.
And the heat part, that's whereBetatech comes in.
Elena Bondwell (07:49):
Exactly.
Betatech is a thermal interfacematerial, or TIM.
Its job is specifically totransfer heat efficiently away
from the battery cells to thecooling system.
Lucas Adheron (07:59):
Preventing hotspots.
Elena Bondwell (08:00):
Right.
Keeps the battery in itsoptimal temperature range, which
is crucial for performance,longevity, and safety.
And looking ahead with thingslike 800-volt systems becoming
more common, you need evenbetter thermal management and
new kinds of electricalinsulators.
DuPont's working on that too.
Lucas Adheron (08:16):
It sounds like really critical work.
Has this tech gotten anyrecognition?
Elena Bondwell (08:20):
Oh, yeah.
Beta Force won a 2024 R&D 100award, which is pretty
prestigious in the tech world.
Right.
And specifically, one of theirthermally conductive adhesives,
Beta First 2800 TC won a SilverEdison Award back in 2021 for
helping the Audi e-tron managebattery temperature during super
fast charging.
A perfect example of howadhesives enable better EV
(08:43):
performance.
Lucas Adheron (08:43):
So behind a lot of this at DuPont is Andreas
Lutz.
He sounds like a key figure.
What does having someone withhis deep, like chemical
background driving the strategymean?
Elena Bondwell (08:54):
It means a lot.
He's not just a manager.
He's a PhD chemist, a DuPonttechnical laureate, won their
Peterson Medal for major productcontributions.
Lucas Adheron (09:03):
So he really knows the science.
Elena Bondwell (09:04):
Deeply.
He holds numerous patentshimself in adhesive tech.
That hands-on inventiveunderstanding is crucial for
pushing boundaries.
It means the strategy isgrounded in what's chemically
possible and where the nextbreakthroughs might lie.
Lucas Adheron (09:18):
And what's his vision?
How does he see adhesivesfitting into the future?
Elena Bondwell (09:21):
He really emphasizes that adhesives are
core to DuPont's identity, partof their DNA, as he puts it.
He said something like, webring nearly 75 years experience
and we are translating thatexpertise to serve the growing
hybrid and electric vehiclemarket.
Lucas Adheron (09:35):
So leveraging that history for the new
challenges.
Elena Bondwell (09:37):
Exactly.
And he connects it directly tosustainability.
He talks about howlightweighting enabled by
adhesives cuts CO2 and fuelconsumption.
It's not just about makingcars.
It's about making them betterfor the planet.
Lucas Adheron (09:49):
That's a message that definitely lands today.
Elena Bondwell (09:52):
Absolutely.
And his focus stays sharp onthe critical roles in EVs,
thermal management, crashsafety, making battery
production more efficient.
He also stresses collaboration,working closely with automakers
to figure out what they neednext.
Lucas Adheron (10:05):
And they have ambitious goals, right?
Carbon neutrality.
Elena Bondwell (10:08):
Yeah, they aim to be carbon neutral in their
automotive work even sooner thanthe company's overall 2050
target.
It's a proactive stance.
Lucas Adheron (10:15):
The scale of their current impact is pretty
staggering.
Elena Bondwell (10:19):
It really is.
Lutz often points out thatBetamate, their other major
adhesive line, is used inroughly one out of every three
cars produced globally.
Lucas Adheron (10:27):
Wow.
One in three.
That's incredible reach.
So wrapping this up, it feelslike we've uncovered something
fundamental.
These advanced adhesives, betaforce, beta tech, they're not
just, you know, fancy glue.
Elena Bondwell (10:39):
Not at all.
They're enabling technologies.
They're underpinning this hugeshift in the auto industry
towards vehicles that are safer,lighter, run longer, and are
hopefully more sustainable.
Lucas Adheron (10:50):
It really makes you appreciate the hidden
innovations all around us.
Elena Bondwell (10:54):
And the innovation doesn't stop.
You know, the conversation isalready moving forward.
Lucas Adheron (10:58):
Where's it headed next?
Elena Bondwell (10:59):
Well, think about it.
If bonding things together soeffectively is revolutionary,
what about taking them apart,especially for recycling?
Lucas Adheron (11:08):
Ah, debonding, unsticking them cleanly.
Elena Bondwell (11:11):
Exactly.
Developing adhesives that canbe triggered to release their
bond when needed, that'sbecoming a really hot research
area.
The whole life cycle mattersnow.
Lucas Adheron (11:21):
So the ability to bond...
and then maybe debond, thatcould completely change how we
think about manufacturing,recycling, the whole circular
economy idea.
Elena Bondwell (11:30):
It really could.
It's that next frontier inmaking materials science truly
sustainable end to end.
Definitely something to keep aneye on.
It's amazing how much happens behind the scenes,
right?
The invisible stuff that shapesour world.
Elena Bondwell (00:05):
Totally.
Materials, forces.
We rarely think about them.
Lucas Adheron (00:09):
Take a car.
So complex.
And now electric vehicles.
Everyone talks batteries.
But what if like the futurehinges on something much
smaller?
Elena Bondwell (00:19):
It often does.
And in the auto industry rightnow.
A really big, quiet change ishappening, driven by advanced
adhesives.
Lucas Adheron (00:27):
Adhesives.
Okay, that's what we're digginginto today.
We're going deep on how these,well, seemingly simple materials
are actually revolutionizingcar design, safety, performance,
especially for EVs.
Elena Bondwell (00:38):
Yeah, and we've sifted through a lot for you.
Industry papers, research,company info, interviews.
The goal is really to pull outthe key stuff, the surprising
bits.
Lucas Adheron (00:47):
Exactly.
To give you the core insightswithout drowning you in data.
And here's nugget number one tokick us off.
Making the leap from combustionengines to EVs.
It depends like massively onwhat holds the vehicle together.
Elena Bondwell (01:01):
It really does.
It's not just swapping out theengine.
The whole structure is beingrethought and adhesives are
fundamental to that rethinking.
Lucas Adheron (01:07):
So let's unpack that.
Carmakers are pushing hard forlight weighting.
Elena Bondwell (01:11):
Making cars lighter.
It's key.
Lucas Adheron (01:13):
Right.
Better fuel efficiency forolder cars.
Way more range for EVs.
Less CO2.
All good things.
Elena Bondwell (01:20):
But it's tricky.
Because lightweighting meansusing a whole mix of materials
together.
Carbon fiber, composites,different steels, aluminum.
Lucas Adheron (01:28):
All in the same car body.
Ow.
And that's where the old wayslike welding or using nuts and
bolts run into trouble, right?
Elena Bondwell (01:35):
Big trouble.
Welding different metals.
You can get galvanic corrosion.
It's like a tiny battery eatingaway at the metal.
Yikes.
Yeah.
Or the heat from welding canjust damage the materials and
composites.
You can't weld fibers.
It just doesn't work.
The strength comes from thefibers.
Lucas Adheron (01:50):
Okay.
So welding is problematic.
What about fasteners, screws,rivets?
Elena Bondwell (01:55):
They have their own issues.
You're drilling holes, whichinherently weakens the material
right there, creating Thegalvanic corrosion again.
Exactly.
Adhesives can often act as aninsulator between those
(02:17):
materials.
Lucas Adheron (02:18):
So the big question becomes...
How do you join all thisdifferent stuff reliably without
adding weight or causingproblems down the road?
Elena Bondwell (02:27):
And that's where adhesives really shine.
Instead of joining at pointslike a rivet, they create a
continuous bond line.
Lucas Adheron (02:34):
Okay, covering more area.
Elena Bondwell (02:35):
Right, which maximizes the surface for load
transfer.
That means better strength,better distribution of stress,
and just, you know, much betterdurability overall.
Lucas Adheron (02:46):
So it's not just sticking parts A and B together.
It's enabling completelydifferent ways to design and
build a car.
Elena Bondwell (02:51):
Precisely.
Automakers can move away fromjust bending metal into shape.
They can create these reallysophisticated hybrid structures
using multiple materialsoptimized for specific jobs.
Lucas Adheron (03:02):
Plus, I imagine it looks cleaner.
No rivets or weld marks.
Elena Bondwell (03:05):
Definitely an aesthetic benefit.
Yeah.
And it cuts out steps inmanufacturing.
No need to punch all thoseholes.
Lucas Adheron (03:10):
Okay, so adhesives are clearly a huge
advantage.
And you mentioned DuPont andtheir Betaforce line are big
players here.
Elena Bondwell (03:17):
Yeah, DuPont is a fascinating company.
Started way back makinggunpowder Now a giant in
chemistry and materials.
Think Lycra, no mix.
Lucas Adheron (03:26):
Wow.
Okay.
Quite the history.
Elena Bondwell (03:29):
And that history of innovation feeds into
Betaforce.
It actually builds onpioneering work from Dow
Automotive, like their Betamateadhesives, which DuPont acquired
and really refined.
Lucas Adheron (03:40):
So what makes Betaforce special?
What are its superpowers?
Elena Bondwell (03:43):
Well, first off, its ability to join really
diverse materials is prettyincredible.
Carbon fiber to aluminum,composites to steel, SMC to
aluminum.
It handles these combinationsexceptionally well.
Lucas Adheron (03:54):
Which is exactly what's needed for those
multi-material designs we talkedabout.
Elena Bondwell (03:58):
Exactly.
And then there's themanufacturing side.
This is huge.
Lucas Adheron (04:01):
How so?
Elena Bondwell (04:02):
Beta force cures at room temperature.
Lucas Adheron (04:04):
No ovens.
Elena Bondwell (04:05):
No massive energy guzzling ovens needed for
curing the adhesive.
Think about the energy savingson a production line making
thousands of cars.
It's significant.
Lucas Adheron (04:14):
That is a big deal.
What else?
Elena Bondwell (04:16):
Often it doesn't need a primer before applying
it.
Lucas Adheron (04:18):
Simplifying the process.
Elena Bondwell (04:20):
Right.
Fewer steps, fewer chemicals.
Plus, the cycle times areincredibly fast.
We're talking around a minute.
Lucas Adheron (04:25):
A minute for a structural bond.
Elena Bondwell (04:27):
Yep.
A essential for keeping up withmass production speeds.
And they can even adjust theopen time, how long you have to
position the parts forflexibility on the line.
Lucas Adheron (04:35):
That's impressive efficiency.
And sustainability, does ittick that box too?
Elena Bondwell (04:40):
It does.
Betaforce actually containsabout 30% renewable and
bio-based materials by weight.
So high performance and abetter environmental profile.
Lucas Adheron (04:49):
Okay, let's shift to how this affects the car
after it's built.
Performance, safety.
Elena Bondwell (04:54):
Well, enabling later materials is the first big
win.
Better efficiency, longer EVrange, we covered that.
But it also improves the feelof the car.
Oh.
Acoustics, noise, vibration,harshness, NVH, they call it.
That continuous bond linedampens vibrations much better
than port fasteners.
So a quieter, smoother ride.
(05:14):
I
Lucas Adheron (05:15):
hadn't thought of that.
And structurally, safety.
Elena Bondwell (05:17):
It acts as that barrier against corrosion
between dissimilar metals, whichis key for long-term integrity.
Lucas Adheron (05:23):
Right, the galvanic thing.
Elena Bondwell (05:25):
And in a crash...
This is crucial.
Adhesives distribute impactforces over a much larger area
compared to fasteners.
Lucas Adheron (05:33):
Instead of concentrating the force at
specific points.
Elena Bondwell (05:36):
Exactly.
It helps the whole structureabsorb energy more effectively.
Think of it like spreading theload.
Plus, these adhesives maintaintheir strength even at high
temperatures, and they have thisgreat combination of stiffness,
what they call modulus andstretchiness, or elongation,
before breaking.
That helps hold the vehicletogether under extreme stress.
Lucas Adheron (05:56):
That sounds like amazing.
safety upgrade.
Can you give some real worldexamples?
Where is beta force actuallybeing used?
Elena Bondwell (06:01):
Oh, all over the place.
Roofs, tailgates, doors, hoods,spoilers, even the core
passenger cell structure.
Lucas Adheron (06:07):
Any specific cars that stand out?
Elena Bondwell (06:09):
The BMW i3 is a classic example.
Its passenger compartment ismade of carbon fiber and beta
force was the key joiningtechnology.
The whole structure was prettymuch bonded, not fastened.
Lucas Adheron (06:19):
Wow.
Almost entirely adhesive based.
Elena Bondwell (06:22):
Yeah.
And they optimized it for thosesuper fast one minute cycle
times.
The Audi EVA8 is another onethat uses it to attach
lightweight parts like a carbonfiber rear wall, which helps
make the car incredibly stiffand handle well.
Lucas Adheron (06:35):
So it's not just niche, it's in mainstream and
high performance vehicles.
Elena Bondwell (06:38):
Definitely widespread.
Lucas Adheron (06:39):
Okay, so structural bonding is one thing,
but you mentioned EVsspecifically.
What about the battery packitself?
That seems like a wholedifferent challenge.
Elena Bondwell (06:47):
It absolutely is.
The stakes with EV batteriesare incredibly high.
You've got to manage heat,prevent thermal runaway, which
is, you know, fires.
Lucas Adheron (06:55):
Big fear factor.
Elena Bondwell (06:56):
Right.
You need them to last 10, 15years or more.
And they need to bestructurally sound, especially
as designs keep changing to packmore energy in.
Lucas Adheron (07:05):
So safety, longevity, structural integrity,
tough combination.
How do adhesives like betaforce, and I think you mentioned
beta tech, help here?
Elena Bondwell (07:15):
Beta force is vital for bonding and sealing
the battery housing itself.
protecting it from water, dirtimpacts, but also helping manage
heat and contributing to crashsafety for the pack.
Lucas Adheron (07:26):
So it's structure and protection.
Elena Bondwell (07:28):
Yes.
And it enables these newercell-to-pack or even
cell-to-vehicle designs.
Lucas Adheron (07:34):
What does that mean exactly?
Elena Bondwell (07:35):
Basically, removing layers of packaging
around the battery cells to fitmore energy and less space.
But that means the adhesive hasto do more work holding things
together structurally andhelping manage the heat.
Lucas Adheron (07:46):
OK.
And the heat part, that's whereBetatech comes in.
Elena Bondwell (07:49):
Exactly.
Betatech is a thermal interfacematerial, or TIM.
Its job is specifically totransfer heat efficiently away
from the battery cells to thecooling system.
Lucas Adheron (07:59):
Preventing hotspots.
Elena Bondwell (08:00):
Right.
Keeps the battery in itsoptimal temperature range, which
is crucial for performance,longevity, and safety.
And looking ahead with thingslike 800-volt systems becoming
more common, you need evenbetter thermal management and
new kinds of electricalinsulators.
DuPont's working on that too.
Lucas Adheron (08:16):
It sounds like really critical work.
Has this tech gotten anyrecognition?
Elena Bondwell (08:20):
Oh, yeah.
Beta Force won a 2024 R&D 100award, which is pretty
prestigious in the tech world.
Right.
And specifically, one of theirthermally conductive adhesives,
Beta First 2800 TC won a SilverEdison Award back in 2021 for
helping the Audi e-tron managebattery temperature during super
fast charging.
A perfect example of howadhesives enable better EV
(08:43):
performance.
Lucas Adheron (08:43):
So behind a lot of this at DuPont is Andreas
Lutz.
He sounds like a key figure.
What does having someone withhis deep, like chemical
background driving the strategymean?
Elena Bondwell (08:54):
It means a lot.
He's not just a manager.
He's a PhD chemist, a DuPonttechnical laureate, won their
Peterson Medal for major productcontributions.
Lucas Adheron (09:03):
So he really knows the science.
Elena Bondwell (09:04):
Deeply.
He holds numerous patentshimself in adhesive tech.
That hands-on inventiveunderstanding is crucial for
pushing boundaries.
It means the strategy isgrounded in what's chemically
possible and where the nextbreakthroughs might lie.
Lucas Adheron (09:18):
And what's his vision?
How does he see adhesivesfitting into the future?
Elena Bondwell (09:21):
He really emphasizes that adhesives are
core to DuPont's identity, partof their DNA, as he puts it.
He said something like, webring nearly 75 years experience
and we are translating thatexpertise to serve the growing
hybrid and electric vehiclemarket.
Lucas Adheron (09:35):
So leveraging that history for the new
challenges.
Elena Bondwell (09:37):
Exactly.
And he connects it directly tosustainability.
He talks about howlightweighting enabled by
adhesives cuts CO2 and fuelconsumption.
It's not just about makingcars.
It's about making them betterfor the planet.
Lucas Adheron (09:49):
That's a message that definitely lands today.
Elena Bondwell (09:52):
Absolutely.
And his focus stays sharp onthe critical roles in EVs,
thermal management, crashsafety, making battery
production more efficient.
He also stresses collaboration,working closely with automakers
to figure out what they neednext.
Lucas Adheron (10:05):
And they have ambitious goals, right?
Carbon neutrality.
Elena Bondwell (10:08):
Yeah, they aim to be carbon neutral in their
automotive work even sooner thanthe company's overall 2050
target.
It's a proactive stance.
Lucas Adheron (10:15):
The scale of their current impact is pretty
staggering.
Elena Bondwell (10:19):
It really is.
Lutz often points out thatBetamate, their other major
adhesive line, is used inroughly one out of every three
cars produced globally.
Lucas Adheron (10:27):
Wow.
One in three.
That's incredible reach.
So wrapping this up, it feelslike we've uncovered something
fundamental.
These advanced adhesives, betaforce, beta tech, they're not
just, you know, fancy glue.
Elena Bondwell (10:39):
Not at all.
They're enabling technologies.
They're underpinning this hugeshift in the auto industry
towards vehicles that are safer,lighter, run longer, and are
hopefully more sustainable.
Lucas Adheron (10:50):
It really makes you appreciate the hidden
innovations all around us.
Elena Bondwell (10:54):
And the innovation doesn't stop.
You know, the conversation isalready moving forward.
Lucas Adheron (10:58):
Where's it headed next?
Elena Bondwell (10:59):
Well, think about it.
If bonding things together soeffectively is revolutionary,
what about taking them apart,especially for recycling?
Lucas Adheron (11:08):
Ah, debonding, unsticking them cleanly.
Elena Bondwell (11:11):
Exactly.
Developing adhesives that canbe triggered to release their
bond when needed, that'sbecoming a really hot research
area.
The whole life cycle mattersnow.
Lucas Adheron (11:21):
So the ability to bond...
and then maybe debond, thatcould completely change how we
think about manufacturing,recycling, the whole circular
economy idea.
Elena Bondwell (11:30):
It really could.
It's that next frontier inmaking materials science truly
sustainable end to end.
Definitely something to keep aneye on.
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