LANXESS Opens Battery Laboratory to Test New Materials

LANXESS Opens New Battery Laboratory

LANXESS opened a new battery laboratory on September 4 at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site, creating a dedicated facility for testing and developing battery materials based on iron oxide and iron phosphate. The laboratory allows the company to evaluate the material properties of its products directly within battery cells rather than assessing those properties separately from cell performance. This setup is intended to provide a more direct understanding of how the materials behave in practical battery applications. By connecting material development with cell-level testing, the facility gives LANXESS a dedicated environment for evaluating materials under conditions relevant to battery technology development.

Faster Evaluation of Battery Material Performance

The new laboratory is designed to help LANXESS and its customers assess the effects of iron oxide and iron phosphate grades on several important battery characteristics more quickly. Testing can examine how different grades influence cell performance, processability, and suitability for specific applications. This direct testing approach can help connect the properties of individual material grades with their behavior inside complete battery cells. For customers evaluating materials for particular battery applications, the laboratory therefore provides a way to assess relevant performance factors more directly and efficiently during development and material selection.

Laboratory Also Supports Sodium-Ion Battery Testing

The laboratory's technical equipment is not limited to battery systems using iron oxide and iron phosphate materials. Its capabilities are also suitable for other battery technologies, including sodium-ion batteries. In sodium-ion systems, sodium iron pyrophosphate can be used as a cathode material, giving the laboratory a broader technical application beyond the materials initially identified for testing. This flexibility allows the facility to support evaluation work across different battery chemistries and provides a testing environment that can be applied as material development requirements vary between battery technologies and specific applications.

Direct Cell Testing Connects Materials With Applications

By testing materials directly in battery cells, LANXESS can examine the relationship between material properties and actual cell behavior within the same development process. The approach is particularly relevant when material grades need to be assessed for performance, processing characteristics, and application suitability at the cell level. The laboratory's ability to accommodate both iron-based battery materials and sodium-ion battery applications also broadens its potential use for development activities. For LANXESS and its customers, the facility therefore provides a more integrated setting for evaluating battery materials and their practical performance.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The new laboratory strengthens LANXESS's ability to connect battery-material development with direct cell-level evaluation, which can help material suppliers and customers make faster comparisons during application development. Its support for both iron-based materials and sodium-ion battery testing also provides flexibility as different battery chemistries continue to require specialized materials and performance assessment. The practical significance is strongest for development teams that need to understand how specific material grades affect complete cells rather than relying only on isolated material measurements. Further testing and customer evaluation at the facility will determine how broadly these capabilities are applied across battery-material development programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the new LANXESS battery laboratory?
The laboratory is designed to test and develop battery materials directly in battery cells, helping LANXESS and its customers evaluate material behavior more efficiently. It focuses on iron oxide and iron phosphate grades while also supporting other battery technologies. Testing can help assess effects on cell performance, processability, and suitability for specific applications. The facility's technical equipment can also be used for sodium-ion batteries, including systems that use sodium iron pyrophosphate as a cathode material, expanding its usefulness across different battery-development requirements and material evaluation activities.