European Battery Innovation – IPCEI
Phosphorus Additives and Recycling for Sustainable Energy Storage
Italmatch Chemicals is participating in the second IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) with a focus on the sustainable development of the EV battery value chain in Europe. With three innovative projects approved under the European Commission program on new generation batteries, Italmatch is working on both advanced raw materials and recycling projects.
The project will cover the entire battery value chain from the extraction of raw materials to recycling and disposal, applying a perfect concept of circular economy, with a strong focus on sustainability. It will also partner with Europe in electro-mobility mass transition and generate additional structural business growth.
Italmatch Chemicals Group is actively participating in both top of the battery value chain, with its contribution to research on Advanced Raw Materials for better performing batteries, and to the Recycling of depleted batteries. In particular, Italmatch is involved in 3 work packages.
The first work package seeks to establish a pilot Lithium-Ion Battery electrolyte precursor (LiPF6) manufacturing plant in Europe. The purpose of the project is to consolidate the necessary technology and to develop the entire sustainable supply system, paving the road for the first-in-its-kind commercial production out of a European facility. Italmatch will contribute to fulfilling the local Li-Ion Battery needs by providing one of the fundamental intermediates for the production of LiPF6, being the sole producer of Phosphorus Pentachloride (PCl5) in Europe.
The second work package involves exploring and setting up a pioneering and pilot solid electrolytes precursor plant in Europe to supply solid electrolytes producers both within Italy and overseas with a suitable material, meeting the requirements of the IPCEI circular battery value chain.
The third will provide a set of innovative IoT integrated chemical technologies, working towards an efficient recovery process of Lithium, Cobalt and Nickel in partnership with several intra-European upstream and downstream participants in the initiative, in line with the ongoing implementation of the EU Battery Directive in a concept of circular economy and environmental sustainability.