Lanxess and IBU-Tec are working on better iron oxides for LFP batteries
Both companies want to create further developed iron oxides for the production of improved LFP cathode material. Lanxess, which is based in Cologne, is a speciality chemicals group, while IBU-Tec Advanced Materials – based in Weimar – is at home in battery material production. Through their cooperation, the duo aims to improve the electrochemical properties of LFP batteries, such as energy density, charging speed and the number of charging cycles.
IBU-Tec Advanced Materials is an established player in the LFP cathode material market. In spring 2023 and November 2022, the company announced orders for the development and production of LFP cathode material for electric vehicles. Lanxess, for its part, operates “the world’s largest plant for the key raw material iron oxide” in Krefeld-Uerdingen, according to an accompanying press release from IBU-Tec. According to company statements, Lanxess has almost 100 years of development experience with this material and can provide iron oxide particles for LFP batteries in the required size, purity and morphology as well as in the required quantities.
Both parties consider their research to be very relevant, as “more and more car manufacturers are increasingly relying on LFP (lithium/iron/phosphate) batteries for their e-vehicles – especially for volume models”. The partners assume that the demand for LFP in Europe will grow by 20 per cent annually until 2030 and emphasise that the current demand is almost exclusively covered by non-European suppliers. With their development, both companies want to make an explicit contribution to building a value chain in the European LFP battery market and at the same time reduce the CO2 footprint of the batteries.
“With Lanxess, we are gaining one of the largest, globally positioned chemical companies as a strong partner in the battery sector,” says Jörg Leinenbach, CEO of IBU-Tec. “With the joint product development we will combine our expertise and together we will drive the development of the European LFP battery market and establish an independent value chain. We see this cooperation as an important step towards opening up the market.” Furthermore, IBU-Tec will provide information on further material developments in the battery sector with new application possibilities in January.
Michael Ertl, Head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit at Lanxess, adds: “As IBU-tec is currently the only European manufacturer of LFP cathode materials, the company is the ideal partner for us to develop the new material, which is a key component for batteries in e-cars and stationary energy storage systems. This is an important contribution to sustainability and the development of a European value chain in the field of battery materials.” According to him, Lanxess also wants to gain access to the eMobility market through other areas, such as raw materials for electrolytes, battery cooling fluids, flame retardants for plastic components in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure as well as orange dyes for colouring high-voltage components.
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