ELEVATE

ELEVATE: Daikin’s PTFE Expertise Powers the Future of Electric Aviation

Daikin Chemical Europe is proud to announce its participation in ELEVATE (Electrified Aviation with Dry-Coated Electrodes for High-Energy Solid-State Batteries), an ambitious research project funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. Driven by a consortium of leading European industry and academic partners, ELEVATE aims to shatter current energy-density limits and industrialize the next generation of batteries for electric regional aircraft.

To make electric aviation a reality, aircraft require batteries that can deliver substantially higher energy densities (exceeding 400 Wh/kg) without compromising on strict safety requirements. ELEVATE addresses this by developing quasi-solid-state 21700 prototype cells through two breakthrough manufacturing processes: solvent-free dry-coating and in-situ electrolyte polymerization.

At the heart of this sustainable manufacturing shift is Daikin’s world-class materials expertise. Daikin is developing advanced composites combining PTFE with Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) for direct integration into the project’s dry-coating process. This innovation eliminates the need for hazardous solvents, drastically cuts energy consumption during production, and ensures the mechanical integrity and cycle life of the new cells.

ELEVATE secures Europe’s leadership in scalable and sustainable energy storage by bridging the gap from laboratory innovation to a retrofit-ready production ecosystem. Daikin is collaborating alongside major partners across the entire value chain, including OCSiAl (providing the SWCNT technology), CIDETEC (electrolyte and modeling experts), UniverCell (cell manufacturing), TU Braunschweig, EurA, Uppsala University, Addionics, IKA, LEONHARD KURZ and aircraft developer Vaeridion. Through the creation of a thermally stable, non-flammable polymer matrix and dry-mixed electrodes, the ELEVATE project is setting a new standard for safety and performance.

Funded by

The ELEVATE project is funded by the European Union’s HORIZON Europe Research and Innovative Actions programme (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency), Grant Agreement No. 101318954.