Umicore

Umicore

Umicore is a materials technology group. It focuses on application areas where it knows its expertise in materials science, chemistry and metallurgy can make a real difference. Umicore generates approximately 50% of its revenues and spends approximately 80% of its R&D budget in the area of clean technology, such as emission control catalysts, materials for rechargeable batteries and photovoltaics, fuel cells, and precious metals recycling. Umicore’s overriding goal of sustainable value creation is based on this ambition to develop, produce and recycle materials in a way that fulfils its mission: materials for a better life. The Umicore Group has industrial operations on all continents and serves a global customer base; it generated around €3 billion revenue, 6% of which being invested in R&D, in 2017 and currently employs around 10,000 people.

Main role and expertise: Umicore will contribute to the project in 3 ways:

1. Based on fundamental electrode characteristics (of the newly proposed technology) and the specific use case performance needs at pack level Umicore will adjust it’s ‘Material-to-Pack’ performance and cost model. The simulations with these specific parameters will then be used to make a smart choice of cathode material composition (say in the range of 50 to 70% Ni NMC’s).
2. Umicore can supply the relevant NMC-cathode material for the demo-project and the cells needed for the safety tests.
3. Design for recycling input : Umicore’s expertise can be made available to work on easy pack-to-module disassembly at EOL; integrate full discharge capability at EOL and define the ‘to be recycled’ criteria based on standard SOH-parameters analyzed during the pack life.