Battery powder processing is a critical aspect of modern battery manufacturing. And there’s no doubt demand is growing. The electric vehicle (EV) industry alone is experiencing a 35% sales growth rate this year compared to 2022 (that’s an estimated 14 million zero-emission battery electric vehicles).1
From the basics of battery powder production to advanced techniques and emerging trends, we’re happy to share our battery powder production expertise. These 7 questions are often asked of our team. If you need more detailed answers about battery powder processing, please contact CPS. We’re here to guide you to smart decisions and successful results.
Top 7 Questions About Battery Powder Processing:
As you likely know, a lithium-ion battery’s precise formulation can’t be achieved using minerals — lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, graphite, etc. — extracted straight from the earth. They must be processed to uniform particulates so each battery performs as needed.
For batteries, powder processing means grinding and managing particle size, shape, and surface area. Applying different methods changes raw minerals’ randomness into consistency, which is what battery systems require. That’s where a toll processor comes in.
Every particle — and every decision about processing that particle — impacts the battery system. Battery suppliers should work with a toll processor with a wide array of available equipment to handle the required processes of battery technology, including:
Equipment on its own doesn’t qualify a toll processor for the needs of battery powder processing. Fully understanding the fundamentals of the raw materials is how toll processors gain the best quality and performance from each mineral.
Toll processors with the right equipment AND technical mastery tightly control particle size and morphology of materials, which impact their electrochemical performance within batteries. Proven processes meet the most challenging specifications through a range of specialty services:
A toll processor’s small trial runs can help determine ideal parameters. Scalable processes then allow fast ramp-up to full-scale production. The result is optimized battery performance.
Jet milling was listed first among the toll processing technologies above (question #3) for a reason. Jet milling’s capabilities — fine grinding, narrow distributions, high throughput, low cost, etc. — make it an excellent solution for battery powder production.
As mentioned in the intro, the electric vehicle (EV) industry is growing tremendously, but that’s not the only industry or application that uses battery powder technology. Here are some others:
Advantages such as high energy density, long cycle life, safety, and wide temperature operation make battery powder ideal for many industries and use cases. Ongoing advancements in battery powder processing are expanding applications even further.
Handling and processing of the raw materials involved in battery powder processing shouldn’t be entrusted to just anyone. Finding the right toll processor requires doing your due diligence to ensure they have the expertise and capabilities to meet your needs. Key areas to investigate:
Discuss your specific requirements with potential partners. An experienced toll processor collaborates closely to achieve results beyond standard specifications. Leverage their technical teams’ expertise to ensure a tough product goal is attainable. The right partner won't just meet your needs, it’ll exceed them.
Speed is critical in the competitive battery industry. Streamlining R&D by running parallel development processes can provide a major market advantage; doing this with a toll processing partner may provide a strategic advantage that in-house capabilities can’t.
An experienced toll processor also understands specialized active materials, binders, and additives and how each must be processed to exacting particle size and morphology requirements to ensure performance.
Plus, an established toll processor already has specialized equipment installed, calibrated, and ready to run, meaning:
Battery powder processing and battery powder technology are sophisticated, and you may have additional questions. See what the future of electric vehicles looks like — and a toll processing partner’s place in it — from our guide, Powder Processing for EV Batteries. Click below for your copy!