Evonik, a German chemical company, has made an undisclosed investment in SuperC, a Chinese battery specialist that has developed a groundbreaking process for producing few-layer graphene and pastes for electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. According to Evonik, SuperC’s graphene-based electrode material is already used in products from major Chinese battery manufacturers. Evonik plans to open a new production facility in Hefei in 2023, where automakers such as Volkswagen and JAC have vehicle plants.
Adding graphene to the electrodes increases the electrical and thermal conductivity of batteries, improving their overall performance and charging speed. It also makes them more resistant to temperature changes, reducing the need for cooling and making the system more efficient and safer.
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The investment in SuperC will come from Evonik’s Sustainability Tech Fund, launched in 2022, which has a total of €150 million. Evonik and its subsidiary Evonik Ventures plan to invest in innovative technologies and business models that will improve factors such as range, robustness, charging speed, and the service life of lithium-ion batteries. This investment will help accelerate the transition to climate-friendly mobility.
“By investing in SuperC, we are supporting cutting-edge technology with a promising future. High-performance batteries are a crucial factor in accelerating the electrification of road transport and permanently reducing CO2 emissions,” says Bernhard Mohr, head of Evonik’s venture capital unit. Stefan Plass, head of the Interface & Performance Business Line, adds: “By working with SuperC, we are expanding our technical know-how and our understanding of the highly dynamic market. This fits perfectly with our growth strategy for battery solutions.”
