In a strategic move to bolster innovation in the battery sector, LANXESS, a leading specialty chemicals company, and IBU-tec advanced materials, a prominent battery materials manufacturer, have joined forces in a research cooperation. The primary objective of this collaboration between the two German companies is to pioneer novel iron oxides tailored for the production of cathode material in LFP (lithium/iron/phosphate) batteries, thereby enhancing the performance of this battery type.
The partnership aims to refine the electrochemical properties of LFP batteries, including energy density, charging speed, and the number of charging cycles. LFP technology presents compelling advantages over alternative cell chemistry systems such as NMC (nickel/manganese/cobalt oxide) and NCA (nickel/cobalt/aluminium oxide), offering cost efficiencies of up to 50% while ensuring enhanced safety due to its reduced susceptibility to ignition.
With the burgeoning adoption of LFP batteries in e-vehicles, particularly for mass-market models, major car manufacturers are increasingly turning to this technology. To address the escalating demand, LANXESS and IBU-tec aspire to foster the development of an autonomous, robust value chain within the European LFP battery market. Concurrently, this collaboration seeks to mitigate the carbon footprint associated with battery production.
Profoundly, IBU-tec stands as the sole European manufacturer of LFP cathode material, headquartered in Weimar, Germany. Complementing this, LANXESS operates the world’s largest plant for the pivotal raw material, iron oxide, situated in Krefeld-Uerdingen. Boasting nearly a century of experience in iron oxide development, LANXESS is poised to supply iron oxide particles tailored for LFP batteries in requisite size, purity, morphology, and quantities.
Commenting on the partnership, Michael Ertl, Head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit at LANXESS, emphasised the significance of IBU-tec’s position as the ideal partner for material development. Ertl underscored the crucial role of the new material in advancing sustainability and nurturing a European value chain in battery materials.
Echoing this sentiment, Jörg Leinenbach, CEO of IBU-tec, lauded the collaboration with LANXESS as a pivotal step towards fortifying the European LFP battery market. Leinenbach highlighted the synergy between the companies’ expertise and expressed optimism regarding market penetration and the establishment of an independent value chain.
LANXESS, with its extensive portfolio, offers a spectrum of solutions for electromobility and the battery industry, encompassing not only key ingredients for LFP precursors but also raw materials for electrolytes, battery coolants, flame retardants, and dyes for various components in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
