According to the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, the four-year EU project “HiQ-CARB” has made significant progress in developing sustainable, conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries. The project achieved this by combining carbon nanotubes and acetylene black from renewable sources, reducing the required amount of additives in the battery electrodes. According to the project partners, this positively affects material efficiency, performance, and production costs.
The production processes for the materials have been scaled up to industrial quantities. ORION produced over 3,000 tons of acetylene black, and ARKEMA produced suitable quantities of thin-walled CNTs. A life cycle assessment conducted by the University of Bordeaux shows that this material has a carbon footprint of around 1.5 kg CO₂ equivalent per kilogram. According to the analysis, conventional carbon black has a carbon footprint ranging from 3.5 to 3.9 kg CO₂ equivalent.
The new additives have been successfully integrated into CustomCells’ existing production lines. The project partners report stable coatings and improved conductivity without the need for significant production adjustments. Meanwhile, strategies for market launch and qualification of skilled workers were developed.
