LG Chem R&D staff display flame-retardant plastic material in this photo provided by the company, April 25. Yonhap

LG Chem said Monday it had developed a highly heat-resistant plastic material designed to delay thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

The flame-retardant plastic material can prevent the spread of a flame caused by thermal runaway for more than 400 seconds at a temperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius, about a 45-times enhanced performance compared to other fire-retardant plastics, LG Chem said in a release, citing its own test results.

Thermal runaway refers to a situation where the heat in a battery starts to exceed the heat of its surroundings and rises in an uncontrollable state. The excess heat from the battery then affects other batteries and parts in the vehicle, creating a high risk of fire or explosion.

Once the new plastic material is applied to a battery pack cover, it will help delay the spread of fire and secure the time necessary for evacuation and firefighting, the company said.

LG Chem plans to start commercial production from next year, and work is under way for patent applications for the new material in South Korea, the United States and Europe, it added. (Yonhap)