Phillips 66 and Novonix sign lithium-ion anode production deal

Specialty coke firm Phillips 66 and synthetic graphite anode materials company Novonix have signed a deal to advance the production and commercialisation of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

The technology development agreement sets the framework for the companies to work collaboratively to accelerate the development of next-generation materials for the US battery supply chain.

US firm Phillips 66 became a major investor in Australia headquartered Novonix— which has operations in Canada and the US— last September, when it acquired a 16% stake in the company.

The companies plan to develop a number of processes, from manufacturing precursor materials to producing high-capacity long-life synthetic graphite anode material.

Under the agreement, Phillips 66 and Novonix will leverage leading positions in their respective industries — as well as existing intellectual property and R&D capabilities — to drive commercial development of optimised feedstocks and lithium-ion anode materials with reduced carbon-intensive processing.

Novonix’s anode materials business is based in Tennessee, US is increasing capacity to produce 10,000 metric tons per year of synthetic graphite by 2023, 40,000 mt/year by 2025 and 150,000 mt/year by 2030.

Last year, Novonix manufactured single crystal NMC lithium-ion battery cathode material in partnership with the Obrovac Research Group at Dalhousie University, Canada.

The battery material was created using the Canadian firm’s proprietary Dry Particle Microgranulation (DPMG) technique, which the company launched in May.