Arkema has inaugurated the Christian Collette Center of Excellence dedicated to batteries at its Pierre-Bénite Research Center in France. The group also announced a 50% increase in Kynar PVDF fluoropolymer production capacity for separator coatings and cathode binders at its Pierre-Bénite site to address fast-growing demand for materials for lithium-ion batteries. Arkema now aims for sales of at least €1 billion in batteries by 2030.
Improvements in battery performance — greater energy density and shorter charging times — along with a focus on autonomous vehicles and lightweighting represent key R&D areas for meeting the challenge of energy transition. This applies not only to electric mobility, but also to stationary uses, renewable energy storage, and electronics.
Arkema said that it is positioned at the…