Lithium-ion batteries are a key technology for e-mobility.
PRODUCTS
The HiQ-CARB project team has set itself the goal of developing more sustainable carbon black additives for lithium-ion batteries.
HiQ-CARB PRODUCT INNOVATION
Low-carbon Acetylene Black
Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. is the only European company that provides the newest technology to develop and manufacture high purity Acetylene Black conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries. Acetylene Black aggregates form a three-dimensional network to lower the internal resistance of battery electrodes and cells by enhancing the electronic conductivity.
This material ensures that charge and discharge processes are performed effectively and Ohmic losses are minimized. Its high intrinsic electronic conductivity and purity, as compared to other Carbon blacks, leads to significantly higher power densities and longer battery cycle life.
Biobased Carbon Nanotubes
Arkema, a strategic European material producer, is the only producer worldwide to produce carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from bio-based feedstocks in a 400 ton capacity pilot plant in Mont – Nouvelle Aquitaine Region – France. The resulting multi-wall purified nanotubes with a diameter between 12 and 15 nm and thinner, provided either as dry pellets or as liquid dispersions to improve the safety issues generally associated with CNTs, are tailored to customer-specific requirements in terms of metal impurities.
The CNTs are compacted and purified downstream with a minimum of handling. This aspect is particularly important, since it allows the specific gravity to be increased by a factor of almost 3, which mitigates powdering, handling complexity and safety issues, and decreases the purification and transportation costs. Furthermore, this step dramatically improves the dispersion of the CNTs in solvents, as is desired by many customers.
COMBINING BEST OF TWO WORLDS
Based on both products, HiQ-CARB also creates a new synergetic product that combines the respective advantages of AB and CNT.
The new product variant will be offered in a ready-to-use dispersion.
Commercialization will be carried out jointly by the project partners Orion Engineered Carbons and Arkema.
