Henkel Unveils Next-Gen Teroson EP 52 Series: High-Damping Structural Adhesives for Automotive Lightweighting and NVH Reduction

Henkel Germany

Overview

Henkel has launched the Teroson EP 52 Series, a new high-performance structural adhesive engineered for automotive manufacturing, combining superior bonding strength with advanced vibration damping capabilities. Utilizing proprietary High Damping Structural Adhesive (HDSA) technology, this heat-curing, solvent-free adhesive simultaneously facilitates vehicle lightweighting and enhances Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) performance. The series integrates seamlessly into automated Body-in-White (BIW) production lines, promising improved structural integrity, durability, and passenger comfort for next-generation vehicles.

In Depth

Background and Automotive Industry Challenges

The automotive industry is under immense pressure to reduce vehicle weight, driven by demands for improved fuel efficiency, electrification initiatives, and stringent safety regulations. This imperative necessitates the joining of dissimilar materials, such as aluminum and high-strength steel, which inherently introduces new challenges related to joint strength, fatigue durability, and vibrational characteristics. Crucially, Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) performance directly impacts ride comfort and brand perception, making the simultaneous achievement of lightweighting and NVH mitigation a key development objective for automakers. Traditional structural adhesives, while strong, have offered limited vibration damping capabilities.

Key Findings and Technical Features

To address these complex demands, Henkel has introduced the Teroson EP 52 Series, its next-generation high-performance structural adhesive. This product line leverages Henkel’s proprietary “High Damping Structural Adhesive (HDSA) technology” and incorporates the following key features:

• Superior Structural Bonding Strength: The adhesive reinforces welded joints, particularly in the Body-in-White (BIW) structure, enhancing crash safety and overall vehicle rigidity. It achieves robust adhesion between dissimilar materials, thereby supporting advanced lightweighting designs.
• Advanced Vibration Damping Capability: The Teroson EP 52 Series possesses exceptional vibration absorption and damping properties, a significant improvement over conventional structural adhesives. This capability effectively reduces road-induced vibrations and powertrain noise transmitted into the cabin, leading to a substantial improvement in interior acoustics and ride comfort. The HDSA technology enables the adhesive to serve as both a structural component and an NVH countermeasure.
• Manufacturing Process Compatibility: As a heat-curing, one-component epoxy adhesive with a solvent-free formulation, it integrates seamlessly into existing automated BIW production lines. This ensures that its adoption does not compromise production efficiency. The adhesive also maintains excellent bonding performance and durability even under high-temperature conditions.

Technical Significance and Outlook

The Teroson EP 52 Series represents an innovative solution that simultaneously addresses the critical automotive trends of lightweighting and enhanced comfort. Its implementation offers automakers the potential for greater design flexibility in vehicle body structures, reduced part counts, and simplified assembly processes. The superior NVH performance is particularly impactful for electric vehicles (EVs), where the absence of internal combustion engine noise accentuates other sources of vibration, making interior quietness a crucial differentiator and a premium feature. Long-term benefits include improved vehicle durability and, from a sustainability perspective, an extended product lifespan. Henkel’s innovation highlights the expanding role of adhesives not merely as joining materials but as functional components that elevate overall vehicle performance in next-generation automotive development.