LANXESS has opened a new battery laboratory at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany to support the development and testing of materials for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The facility will focus on iron oxide and iron phosphate materials used in LFP cathode production and is intended to bring material development closer to battery cell testing.
The laboratory enables LANXESS to assess its battery materials directly in cells and study their impact on cell performance, processing characteristics and suitability for specific applications. The facility will allow the company and its customers to evaluate material grades at an earlier stage of battery development. The laboratory can also be used for other battery technologies, including sodium-ion batteries, which can use sodium iron pyrophosphate as a cathode material.
“Today, cell manufacturers consider more than just raw material availability. What matters is the reliability of processing and its contribution to cell performance,” said Murat Gürsoy, Head of Innovation for Iron Oxides and Iron Phosphate at LANXESS. “This is precisely where our laboratory comes in. We bring material development and cell testing closer together. This gives us an earlier indication of whether a material works in a real cell assembly.”
Demand for LFP batteries is increasing in electric vehicles as well as stationary energy storage systems. LFP technology is widely used in China, while its adoption is also expected to increase in Europe. According to Roland Berger, LFP batteries could account for 50% of the European battery market by 2030, compared with 10% currently.
LANXESS has more than 100 years of experience in iron oxide production and is a major Western manufacturer of the material. The company has developed specialised iron oxide grades for use as raw materials in the production of LFP cathode materials. These battery grades are already commercially available and received the 2024 ICIS Innovation Award in the Best Product Innovation from a Large Company category. The company has also developed an iron phosphate precursor for LFP batteries. The process uses iron and phosphoric acid and is designed to reduce saline wastewater compared with conventional production routes.
LANXESS’ battery portfolio extends beyond cathode materials. Its Lewatit ion-exchange resins are used to process and purify battery raw materials, including lithium, nickel and cobalt. The company also supplies synthetic coolants for high-voltage applications, flame-retardant solutions and colourants for high-voltage components.
For battery recycling, LANXESS provides process chemicals and ion-exchange resins for black-mass processing, metal recovery and wastewater treatment. Through these products and technologies, the company supports several stages of the battery value chain, from raw material processing and cell production to safety, thermal management and recycling.
