Evonik invests in Chinese battery expert Super-C

providers on the topic

Evonik Industries AG

The specialty chemicals group Evonik is investing in the battery specialist Super-C. The Chinese company specializes in graphene materials intended to improve the range, robustness, charging speed and service life of lithium-ion batteries.

Super-C has developed a process to produce graphene in few layers (FLG) and thus pastes for electrodes in lithium-ion batteries.

With the investment in Super-C, Evonik secures access to graphene materials for electromobility. The investment comes from the Sustainability Tech Fund launched in 2022, which has a total investment volume of 150 million euros.

Super-C has developed a process to produce graphene with few layers, so-called few-layer graphene (FLG), and with it in turn pastes for electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. The addition of graphene increases the batteries' electrical and thermal conductivity, improving their overall performance and rate of charge. The batteries are also less sensitive to temperature. This lowers the cooling requirement and reduces the risk of fire.

Named Super-C, Hefei Haizhou New Material was founded in 2011 in Dongguan, China. It is considered a pioneer in graphene-based electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. The company's material is already being used in products from Chinese battery manufacturers. The manufacturer plans to open a new production facility in Hefei, a central location for the automotive industry, in 2023.