Clean technology specialist Nano One Materials Corp TSX:NANO and Umicore, a circular materials technology company, have announced the signing of a non-exclusive Joint Development Agreement (JDA) on production process technologies for cathode active materials (CAM) for lithium-ion batteries.
Under the agreement, Umicore will evaluate Nano One’s patented M2CAM One-Pot process technology with the intention to integrate it with Umicore’s proprietary process technology for the production of high nickel NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) CAM.
Nano One is an established and fast-growing batteries material specialist with a proprietary process used to develop the low-cost production of high-performance lithium-ion battery cathode materials. It employs approximately 120 people at its innovation and commercialisation hubs in British Columbia and Québec, including the only LFP plant and production team in North America. It has strategic collaborations and partnerships, that include Rio Tinto, BASF, Umicore, CBMM and various automotive OEMs.
With the agreement both parties aim to leverage their respective technologies and know-how to further increase the throughput rate while reducing the costs and environmental footprint of CAM production.
Dr. Stephen Campbell, CTO of Nano One, said “With Umicore, we share a common goal to improve the environmental footprint, cost, and performance of lithium-ion batteries, through materials and process innovation. We are aligned with emerging global imperatives to create secure, resilient, and long-lasting supply chains. We look forward to developing an enduring collaborative partnership with Umicore, building on our common strengths and combined know-how.”
Who are Umicore?
Umicore is a circular materials technology group. It focuses on application areas where its expertise in materials science, chemistry and metallurgy makes a real difference. Its activities are organised in three business groups: Catalysis, Energy & Surface Technologies and Recycling. Each business group is divided into market-focused business units offering materials and solutions that are at the cutting edge of new technological developments and essential to everyday life.
Umicore generates the majority of its revenues and dedicates most of its R&D efforts to clean mobility materials and recycling.
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Yves Van Rompaey, Senior Vice President Corporate Research and Development at Umicore, added: “Innovating for a sustainable future is at the core of our business, both through organic developments and by forging research partnerships or jointly developing technologies with third parties. Our development agreement with Nano One allows us to study the feasibility of their technology with the potential and ambition to further decrease the carbon footprint and costs of CAM production..”
The JDA has various phases and stage gates and is the result of evaluating Nano One’s process technology. The JDA, and any future licensing opportunities, are non-exclusive, Nano One said today.
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Nano One says it aims to pilot and demonstrate its technology as turn-key CAM production solutions for license, joint venture and independent production opportunities. This leverages Canadian talent, critical minerals, renewable energy, and a thriving ecosystem with access to large emerging markets in North America, Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
Nano One has also received funding from the Government of Canada and Government of British Columbia.
