Sharp price rises and supply shortages for non-active materials used in lithium ion cells are adding pressure to battery manufacturers already facing a rise in battery raw material prices.
Prices for binder and separator materials, and solvents, began trending upwards in late-2020 and have since seen sustained higher prices and constrained supply, with expansions limited to smaller Chinese operations.
The supply of the binder material polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been particularly constrained and prices have risen dramatically since mid-Q2 2021. Price rises are a potential issue for cell makers, but a major area of concern is the . . .