Celgard and Lithion to jointly develop battery separators for next-gen Li-ion batteries

Leading battery separator supplier, Celgard LLC (Celgard), a subsidiary of Polypore International, LP (Polypore) has entered in a strategic alliance with Lithion Battery Inc. (Lithion) to jointly develop battery separators for next-generation lithium-ion cells with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathode material.

Through the latest partnership, the two companies intend to meet the burgeoning demand for energy storage systems (ESS) in microgrid applications and battery cells which are used in medical, military, and industrial applications.

"We look forward to further advancing Celgard dry process battery separator technology alongside Lithion with the end goal of providing safe and reliable solutions for ESS," said Stefan Reinartz, VP of lithium-ion electric drive vehicle (EDV) and energy storage systems (ESS) business at Celgard.

As part of the agreement, Celgard will provide 100% of a long-term supply of lithium-ion battery separators to Lithion for use in their factories in Henderson, Nevada as well as their future 7 GWh gigafactory to be commissioned by 2026, primarily for ESS applications. It will also have the first opportunity to supply battery separator solutions to Lithion for all new battery developments.

Lithion isa manufacturer of primary and secondary battery cells, battery packs, and battery modules. It currently has two 80,000 sq. ft. facilities, with one operating as a fully automated production line dedicated to cell and battery pack assembly located in Henderson, Nevada.

The battery separator manufacturer through its parent company Asahi Kasei may also support Lithion's cell manufacturing requirements and explore opportunities to leverage its diversified international manufacturing base to support the global LFP supply chain needs for plastics and thermal retardant materials.