Dürr has developed X.Cellify DC, a new dry-coating process for battery electrodes that eliminates the need for solvents and drying ovens. The system produces a free-standing film of active material that remains fully recyclable until it is laminated onto the current collector, significantly reducing active-material waste.
In Dürr’s dry-coating process, a free-standing active material film is formed, densified, and then laminated onto both sides of the collector foil.
The technology is designed to support next-generation battery production for electric vehicles (EVs) and other high-energy applications, where efficiency, scalability, and material utilization are key.
Following a successful proof of concept, Dürr has confirmed that the process is reliable and scalable, paving the way for industrial pilot projects at gigawatt scale — initially for lithium-ion batteries and, later, for solid-state cells.
Traditional electrode production relies on wet coating, where cathode and anode slurries are applied to metal foils and dried in energy-intensive ovens. The new process, developed in collaboration with LiCAP Technologies and Ingecal, uses LiCAP’s Activated Dry Electrode method to compress dry powder into a uniform film without any solvent phase. X.Cellify DC covers every step from dosing and film formation to densification and lamination.
Reduced energy use and footprint
Compared with conventional wet coating, dry coating can lower production-space requirements by up to 65% and energy consumption by as much as 70%, largely due to the removal of dryers and solvent-recovery systems.
According to Bernhard Bruhn, VP of Dürr’s Global Business Unit LIB, the proof of concept confirms that “the new dry-coating process delivers consistent quality and can be scaled for pilot-scale production.”
Closed-loop recycling of electrode material
The proof-of-concept line, located at Dürr Group company Ingecal in southern France, uses precision calendering to form and compress the free-standing film. Because no carrier foil is needed until the final lamination step, any out-of-spec film can be fed back into the process, eliminating active-material scrap and supporting circular use of electrode materials.
Improved downstream processability
X.Cellify DC’s web-handling design guides the self-supporting film through the process and compresses it before lamination. This reduces the mechanical stress applied to the current collector compared with wet-coated electrodes, improving dimensional stability and processability for subsequent notching and stacking steps.
Collaborative development for next-generation batteries
The project combines Dürr’s system-integration expertise in electrode manufacturing, Ingecal’s precision calendering technology, and LiCAP’s patented dry-electrode process. Dürr is now preparing to collaborate with industry partners on pilot installations for EVs and stationary-storage applications, advancing dry-coating methods toward large-scale production.
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