New partnership on surface treatment for lithium battery copper foil
Chemetall, a leading provider of innovative surface treatment solutions and the global surface treatment business unit of BASF Coatings, has signed a strategic partnership with Londian Wason (Shenzhen) Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (Londian Wason), a global leader in the new energy and electronic materials sector and one of the largest producers of lithium battery copper foil.

Chemetall and Londian Wason has signed a strategic partnership on the innovation and application of Gardolene D chromium-free and fluoride-free passivation technology for copper foils.
The partnership will enable the two companies to collaborate on the innovation and application of Chemetall's newly launched Gardolene D chromium-free and fluoride-free passivation technology for copper foils.
Gardolene D is the first global chromium-free and fluoride-free passivation technology for copper foils. This solution offers superior corrosion protection as well as improved performance of copper foils used in electric vehicle battery packs, energy generation and storage systems.
It improves the surface energy, which enables better adhesion of anode active materials and reduces electrical resistivity, resulting in higher battery efficiency.
Batteries treated with Gardolene D benefit from extended lifespans and better capacity retention, extending lifetime by up to 6% after 1,000 cycles at 25°C – a significant performance increase compared to batteries using copper foil pretreated with traditional chromium (VI) passivation methods.
The new solution is compatible with existing equipment and suitable for both electro-deposited and rolled annealed copper foil substrates used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles and a wide range of other energy generation and storage applications.
As the new Gardolene D technology’s first customer in China, Londian Wason supports green transformation, driven by the rapid growth of electric vehicles and the expanding demand for innovative energy generation and storage solutions, particularly in China and the Asia-Pacific region.