BASF plans lithium-ion battery material production plant in Ohio

The United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, have signed a world-wide licensing agreement to mass produce and market Argonne’s patented composite cathode materials to manufacturers of advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Contingent upon winning a DOE grant under Recovery Act – Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative, BASF plans to build one of North America’s largest cathode material production facilities in Elyria, Ohio.

The patented cathode materials licensed to BASF are part of a large and diverse suite of lithium-ion battery inventions and patents developed at Argonne with funding from DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program.

When completed, the proposed BASF facility in Elyria, Ohio is expected to be the largest cathode material production facility in North America.

Argonne’s composite cathode material employs a unique combination of lithium and manganese-rich, mixed metal oxides in a revolutionary materials-design approach to extend the operating time between charges, increase the calendar life and improve the inherent safety of lithium-ion cells. Moreover, the enhanced stability of the composite material permits battery systems to charge at higher voltages.