40 proprietary lamination process, allowing it to accommodate cell swelling without becoming over-compressed, which would degrade its insulating properties. This allows engineers to tailor the material’s pressure response precisely to accommodate the specific swelling behaviour of different cell chemistries and formats, ensuring consistent thermal protection throughout the battery’s lifecycle. Frenzelit is targeting the emerging OEM demand for ‘prop stop’ or zero thermal propagation, indicating the material’s strategic relevance. “OEMs are planning to use that material in their next-generation batteries. Start of production will probably be in the 2028 to 2030 timeframe.” The material is beyond the lab stage, with serial production readiness planned for 2026. By combining ultra-low conduction via minimised solid contact, effective radiant heat reflection and absorption and adjustable mechanical properties, novaVolt represents a technically nuanced and production-ready barrier against thermal propagation. IKA is addressing one of the most capital- and energy-intensive steps in battery manufacturing with its CONTERNA LAB, which is a specialised continuous kneading machine for dry electrode production. Unlike conventional methods that rely on liquid solvents to create a slurry for coating, the CONTERNA LAB is engineered for the promising dry process, which eliminates the need for massive drying ovens and solvent recovery systems. “Customers are moving to dry electrode processing because they don’t want to use liquid solvents such as N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which come with several health, safety and cost drawbacks,” explains Juergen Lehmann of IKA. “They want to save a lot of money, especially in energy costs and investment costs.” The dry process uses a fibrillating binder, typically PTFE, which transforms from a white powder into a network of microscopic fibres that bind the active and conductive materials together. Other polymer binders which may be used as replacements for the PTFE in the future are in the r&d stage. The CONTERNA LAB has a modular, multi-chamber design, enabling a range of innovative features. Unlike a traditional extruder, it features a series of individual kneading chambers, each with its own drive. This architecture provides unparalleled process control and flexibility. “Each chamber has an individual drive allowing it to run with a different speed or even different turning direction of the kneading tools,” Lehmann says. This enables operators to tailor the process stage by stage; beginning with gentle mixing tools to homogenise the dry powders before transitioning to highshear kneading tools in subsequent chambers to initiate and control the critical fibrillation of the PTFE binder. This precise control is further enhanced by real-time monitoring. Each drive is equipped with torque measurement, which Lehmann identifies as a key indicator: “We realised that the torque perfectly correlates to the degree of fibrillation.” As the material transforms from a powder to a doughy mass, the torque profile provides a clear signature of the process’ progress. A standout feature for r&d is the live process visibility. IKA’s team developed a transparent cover that remains clear even after hours of processing, allowing for direct visual observation to help inform decisions on how to refine the process. “You can adjust certain parameters and immediately you see what happens in the machine, and by this you gain a great increase in process understanding,” he says. This live monitoring is a significant advantage for optimising complex recipes. The system is designed for “highly viscous pastes, semi-dry or dry materials, which change their internal structure by energy input utilising the mixing tools. In addition, there is an optional temperature control via the mixing chamber’s double jacket,” Lehmann notes. The scalability from the lab-scale CONTERNA LAB to industrialscale machines is straightforward, relying on consistent tool design and operating parameters, he says. The system provides a flexible and controlled continuous mixing solution, serving as a vital tool for de-risking and scaling-up more efficient battery manufacturing techniques. Show report | The Battery Show North America January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering IKA’s CONTERNA range of kneading machines for dry electrode mixing includes individual kneading chambers, each with its own drive (Image: IKA)
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