Specialty chemicals company LANXESS will be at the Battery Show North America in Detroit, Michigan from October 8 – 10, showcasing an extensive range of products designed for lithium-ion battery production and electromobility applications. The Battery Show is North America’s largest advanced battery event, exploring the latest market innovations in cutting-edge materials, technologies, and manufacturing processes in the rapidly expanding field of batteries and electric vehicles.
Expansive Product Portfolio
As a global specialty chemicals company, LANXESS offers a broad portfolio of battery materials that includes raw materials for cathode materials and electrolyte components, ion exchange resins for extracting ultra-pure metal compounds for cathode materials and battery recycling, coolants and colorants for high-voltage applications, as well as flame retardants for high-performance plastics and non-flammable electrolytes that enhance the safety of battery cells.
Customized Iron Oxides and Iron Phosphate for LFP Cathode Materials
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) is becoming increasingly popular as a cathode active material, offering a more sustainable alternative to cobalt- and nickel-based cathodes. Currently, LFP batteries are predominantly produced in China, prompting Western OEMs to advocate for the development of regional supply chains to ensure market independence and secure a local, sustainable material supply.
To help reduce this reliance, LANXESS is introducing customized precursors for LFP synthesis, including new Bayoxide® iron oxide battery grades that have recently earned the company the ICIS Innovation Award 2024 for “Best Product Innovation from a Large Company”. These products serve as customized raw materials for the synthesis of the cathode material LFP and are specifically tailored to the requirements of LFP manufacturers, enabling high battery quality, performance and efficiency.
LANXESS also plans to offer iron phosphate as a precursor for LFP. The company is currently examining the possibility of installing its own production capacities in the existing plant setup in Europe. LANXESS is the world’s leading manufacturer of iron oxide pigments, with major production sites in Germany and Brazil. “These products can make key contributions to the electrification of mobility and supporting the energy transition, and we aim to provide customers in North America (as well as Europe) with a competitive, environmentally friendly alternative to the prevailing Asian supply chains for LFP,” said Renata Rodrigues, Head of the Inorganic Pigments business unit for the Americas region.
Flame Retardants for Electric Vehicle Components
High-performance plastics used in electric vehicle components such as battery modules and battery housings, high-voltage connectors, as well as for charging infrastructure, require effective flame-retardant properties. LANXESS offers a variety of phosphorus- and bromine-based flame retardants to meet these needs in various polymers.
High-performance Orange Color for High-Voltage Applications
The signal color orange is used for high-voltage components in electric cars as a safety feature to warn and protect mechanics during maintenance and assembly, or first responders in emergency situations, and needs to be recognizable over the entire lifetime of the vehicle. Here, LANXESS offers Bayplast® Orange TP LXS 51137, an orange pigment that is highly heat-stable and suitable, for example in polyamides, where many other colorants fail due to thermal stress or incompatibility.
Synthetic Fluids for Direct Battery Cooling
During fast charging of batteries, a significant amount of heat is generated, which must be efficiently dissipated to prevent damage. This can be achieved by direct cooling of the battery cells using immersion cooling fluids. LANXESS can leverage its expertise in thermal fluid management with synthetic fluids such as phosphoric esters, which are electrically non-conductive and highly flame-resistant to ensure battery safety during fast charging.
Manufacture of Electrolyte Components and Raw Materials for Conductive Salts
LANXESS subsidiary Saltigo offers custom synthesis of electrolyte components for lithium-ion batteries, based on the customer’s IP as well as tolling of electrolyte formulations. In addition, LANXESS is a leading manufacturer of phosphorus chemicals, anhydrous hydrofluoric acid , thionyl chloride and fluorosulfonic acid. These are key raw materials for conductive salts such as lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI), which are main ingredients in electrolyte formulations.
Battery Recycling with Lewatit Resins
LANXESS’ Lewatit® ion exchange resins are used in the extraction, recovery and purification of battery-grade nickel, cobalt, and lithium, and are now being applied in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. These resins enable the extraction and purification of metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from black mass, which then can be reused for cathode materials.
For more information on LANXESS’ product portfolio for electric vehicles, visit lanxess.com/e-mobility. Visit LANXESS in booth 4827 at the Battery Show North America to speak with our experts and learn more about our innovative solutions for battery production.