BASF, Pulead Materials License Agreement for Lithium-Ion Batteries

BASF SE has granted Pulead Technology Industry a sub-license under Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) patents related to nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

NCM cathode materials are used for cost-effective high energy, safety and long-life batteries for many applications including e-mobility. Pulead is now licensed to make, use, sell, offer to sell, distribute and import the NCM cathode materials in US market.

“BASF is the only licensee of ANL’s prominent NCM cathode materials patents with the ability to grant sub-licenses. We are pursuing a sub-licensing strategy to other industry players so that NCM customers can be able to continue their business with the full respect to intellectual property and technology innovation, and end-users can benefit from this innovation. Customers may continue to use existing product platforms unimpeded through the supply from licensed suppliers,” said Jeffrey Lou, senior vice president of BASF’s global battery materials. 

“Pulead respects intellectual property and this license are important to our NCM customers with regard to freedom to operate. We are pleased to become a sub-licensee of the ANL NCM patents from BASF,” said Dr Yuan Gao, CEO of Pulead.