Honeywell Secures $27 Million Grant From DOE to Produce Critical Battery Material

Honeywell announced that it has signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy for a $27.3 million grant to produce a critical component of lithium-ion batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles. The grant is intended to help Honeywell become the first domestic supplier of high-purity lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), a conductive salt that is one of four critical components in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

"Honeywell is uniquely positioned to blend our technical know-how with our extensive manufacturing experience to become a premier supplier of this important battery material," said Andreas Kramvis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell Specialty Materials. "We are proud of this chance to partner with the Department of Energy in this breakthrough work, and look forward to helping the U.S. become a leader in this important, growing segment of the battery industry."

LiPF6 facilitates the transport of lithium ions within the battery, which allows the batteries to store and discharge energy. Honeywell states that it has developed a novel, environmentally-sound process to manufacture high-purity LiPF6. The process is said to produce less waste and a more consistently pure product than alternate processes.