BASF has launched Oppanol® N PLUS, a new high-performance binder developed to meet the evolving requirements of next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The company is presenting the innovative material at Battery Show Europe 2026, taking place from June 9–11 in Stuttgart, Germany.
As the battery industry moves toward advanced technologies such as solid-state batteries (SSBs), the demand for highly reliable and efficient materials continues to grow. Solid-state batteries are expected to offer longer driving ranges, faster charging times, and improved safety, placing greater performance demands on every battery component.
Setting New Standards in Battery Performance and Manufacturing Reliability
Built on BASF’s proven polyisobutylene (PIB) technology, Oppanol® N PLUS has been specifically engineered for modern battery systems. As a binder, it plays a critical role in battery cells by holding active materials together within the cathode, anode, or electrolyte while maintaining structural integrity throughout the battery’s lifecycle.
Its high elasticity and flexibility help absorb mechanical stresses generated during repeated charging and discharging cycles, contributing to improved battery durability and long-term stability. In addition, the material is chemically inert, helping to prevent unwanted side reactions that can affect battery performance.
A key advantage of Oppanol® N PLUS is its exceptionally high and consistent product quality, supported by tightly controlled specifications. This enables battery manufacturers to reduce process variability, minimize reformulation requirements, lower quality-control efforts, and achieve faster and more stable production adjustments.
BASF is also enhancing customer support through fresh product availability directly from stock and more flexible supply options, including smaller package sizes starting at 20 kilograms. These benefits are designed to help battery manufacturers and OEMs accelerate the development and commercialization of high-performance batteries for electric mobility.
By introducing Oppanol® N PLUS, BASF combines decades of material expertise with the demands of tomorrow’s electromobility market. The product reflects our commitment to continuously improving proven materials and actively supporting the transition to sustainable technologies,” said Madeleine Jordan, Global Business Management Oppanol at BASF.
95 Years of Oppanol: From Chemical Breakthrough to Battery Innovation
The launch of Oppanol® N PLUS coincides with a significant milestone for BASF, marking 95 years since the company laid the foundation for its polyisobutylene technology.
The story began in 1931 when chemist Michael Otto successfully demonstrated that isobutene could be polymerized under suitable conditions, paving the way for the development of the Oppanol product family. In the same year, BASF patented a manufacturing process for polyisobutylene (PIB), later marketed under the name Oppanol, inspired by the Ludwigshafen district of Oppau where the product originated.
Following seven years of intensive research and development, industrial-scale production commenced in 1938 at BASF’s newly built Oppanol facility. The polymer quickly gained global recognition for its unique properties, including transparency, resistance to water and gases, chemical stability, health safety, and excellent adhesive performance.
Today, Oppanol is used in a wide variety of applications, from chewing gum and medical adhesive bandages to insulating glass windows, cable insulation, roofing membranes, pipeline coatings, and advanced battery technologies. Known for its durability, reliability, and chemical resistance, Oppanol continues to support innovation across industries while adapting to the needs of emerging energy technologies.
With Oppanol® N PLUS, BASF is extending the legacy of a material that has served industry for nearly a century, positioning it to play an important role in the future of electric mobility and advanced energy storage.
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