In an era where the world races toward decarbonization, not all green revolutions are visible. Some begin deep within chemical bonds, far from the limelight, quietly transforming the foundations of energy as we know it. One such revolution is brewing at Sudeep Advanced Materials—a company that’s not just crafting chemicals, but rewriting the environmental story of batteries from molecule to mission. Their approach to manufacturing Precursor Cathode Active Materials (PCAMs) is not only breaking conventions but setting new benchmarks for sustainability, waste reduction, and carbon footprint.
At the heart of this innovation lies a vision rooted in pharma-grade precision and propelled by green chemistry, echoing India’s larger ambition to build a self-reliant, circular battery ecosystem.
Shweta Kumari, Sub-Editor of The Battery Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Sumit Mehetre, Group Marketing and Business Development – APAC, Sudeep Advanced Materials for the exclusive Interview.
Let’s delve into this exclusive conversation to uncover how they’re reshaping the building blocks of tomorrow’s energy.
1. Sudeep Advanced Materials is redefining PCAM manufacturing with a green approach. Can you walk us through how your process cuts CO₂ emissions by over 70% compared to conventional methods?
While electric vehicles are often positioned as sustainable alternatives, it’s essential to look deeper into the entire value chain, particularly the raw material production that powers this transition. One of the overlooked contributors to environmental impact lies in the manufacturing of battery materials—especially precursor cathode active materials (pCAMs) like iron phosphate.
At Sudeep Advanced Materials, we’ve been producing iron phosphate for over a decade, initially serving the pharmaceutical industry. However, as we explored battery-grade applications, we recognized the urgent need to reduce the environmental burden of traditional production processes.
Conventional iron phosphate production typically involves iron sulfate and ammonia, which generates large volumes of effluents and requires intensive downstream processing such as washing, filtration, and drying. These steps not only consume significant energy and water but also contribute to elevated CO₂ emissions.
To address this, our R&D team at Sudeep initiated a green chemistry program focused on raw material optimization and process redesign. Through this initiative, we developed a proprietary manufacturing route that:
- Minimizes effluent generation by eliminating sulfate-based reactions
- Uses recyclable water streams, reducing freshwater consumption
- Requires fewer processing steps, thus saving energy
- Results in a cleaner, closed-loop operation with a significantly lower carbon footprint
As a result, we’ve achieved a more than 70% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to conventional processes—without compromising on product quality or consistency. This breakthrough not only aligns with global sustainability goals but also supports OEMs and cell manufacturers in meeting ESG and regulatory expectations for cleaner battery supply chains.
2. You’ve achieved over 95% reduction in liquid effluents and 50% less solid waste—how was this made possible in an industry traditionally known for its environmental footprint?
The conventional process for iron phosphate production typically involves ammonia-based chemistry and multi-stage washing, which results in significant liquid effluents and ammonium-based solid waste. These effluents require extensive downstream treatment—including evaporation, drying, and disposal—which not only consumes large amounts of energy and water, but also leads to substantial CO₂ emissions and operational complexity.
At Sudeep Advanced Materials, we saw an opportunity to challenge this norm. Instead of adapting waste treatment solutions, we redesigned the process upstream to inherently minimize waste generation. By streamlining our chemistry, reducing dependency on washing cycles, and implementing internal recycling mechanisms, we were able to bring down liquid effluent generation by over 95% and cut solid waste in half.
This has allowed us to offer a cleaner, more efficient route to battery-grade iron phosphate—aligned with the sustainability expectations of global partners, without disclosing the proprietary methods that enable it.
3. Iron phosphate is central to LFP batteries. How does SAM’s Green Iron Phosphate ensure consistency in performance, particularly in key parameters like Fe/P ratio, moisture, and surface area?
While Sudeep Advanced Materials (SAM) is a new venture, it is backed by the 35-year legacy of Sudeep Pharma, one of India’s leading manufacturers of high-purity pharmaceutical ingredients. Operating in the pharmaceutical space has instilled a deep-rooted culture of precision, quality, and regulatory discipline—traits that are now embedded into SAM’s manufacturing and quality systems.
In pharmaceutical production, even the smallest deviation in purity, composition, or physical properties can critically impact product safety and efficacy. Applying this same rigor, we’ve built SAM’s operations with a pharma-grade mindset, enabling us to tightly control key performance parameters for battery-grade iron phosphate:
- Fe/P ratio is consistently maintained through standardized raw materials and well-defined process control.
- Moisture content is tightly regulated using pharma-calibrated drying systems, critical for LFP stability.
- Surface area and morphology are fine-tuned to match electrochemical performance requirements.
All materials are validated using in-house analytical systems, with batch-to-batch consistency monitored under a robust QA framework.
By combining a sustainable, low-emission process with the quality systems inherited from pharma manufacturing, SAM delivers Green Iron Phosphate that is not only clean—but also reliable, consistent, and production-ready for global battery manufacturers.
4. Could you explain the significance of the material’s SEM and XRD results in ensuring battery-grade quality for EV and stationary storage applications?
In the context of LFP cathode manufacturing, both SEM and XRD analyses play a crucial role in verifying whether the iron phosphate precursor meets the stringent structural and physical requirements needed for consistent electrochemical performance.
XRD (X-Ray Diffraction):
XRD analysis confirms the phase purity and crystallinity of the synthesized FePO₄·xH₂O. For LFP applications, it is essential that the precursor exists in a single-phase monoclinic structure (often hydrated), with no residual unreacted Fe, Fe₂O₃, or Fe₃(PO₄)₂ impurities. Even minor deviations in crystallinity or the presence of secondary phases can:
- Disrupt the solid-state reaction kinetics during LFP synthesis
- Lead to non-uniform Li⁺ intercalation pathways
- Cause capacity fade and voltage instability in full-cell performance
Our XRD results consistently show sharp, well-defined peaks, confirming a highly crystalline, phase-pure iron phosphate, which translates into reproducible LFP cathode quality.
SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy):
SEM enables direct visualization of particle morphology, agglomeration behavior, and surface area characteristics. For LFP cathode synthesis, a uniform particle size distribution and non-agglomerated morphology are critical for:
- Ensuring homogeneous carbon coating during calcination
- Facilitating intimate contact with lithium sources (e.g., Li₂CO₃)
- Achieving consistent tap density and slurry behavior during electrode formulation
At SAM, we optimize our synthesis to produce iron phosphate with controlled primary particle size (typically 1–5 µm) and surface textures that support highly efficient solid-state reaction and electrode compaction. Our SEM images routinely demonstrate this morphological control.
By integrating SEM and XRD into our quality control protocol, we ensure that each batch of Green Iron Phosphate meets the structural and physical performance envelope required for long cycle life, stable capacity retention, and scalable production in both EV and stationary ESS applications.
5. What role does your green PCAM technology play in helping battery manufacturers meet global Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms and sustainability targets?
Global battery regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, with a strong emphasis on carbon footprint, responsible sourcing, and end-of-life management. Notably:
- The EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) mandates carbon footprint declarations for EV batteries, LMT batteries, and industrial batteries from February 2025, and sets maximum carbon footprint thresholds by July 2027.
- The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) links EV tax credits to domestic or FTA-aligned sourcing of critical minerals and components, favoring clean and traceable supply chains.
- India and other regions are also implementing EPR frameworks that place accountability for environmental impact on the entire product life cycle, including materials sourcing.
- Sudeep Advanced Materials’ green PCAM technology directly supports compliance with these evolving norms through:
- A ~70% reduction in CO₂ emissions per ton of iron phosphate compared to conventional ammonia- and sulfate-based processes, aiding compliance with EU carbon footprint thresholds
- >95% reduction in liquid effluent and ~50% less solid waste, aligning with resource efficiency and cleaner production criteria under EPR and circular economy frameworks
- Use of non-toxic, recyclable process inputs and a closed-loop water system, enabling cleaner LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) profiles
- Local production in India, offering geographically diversified sourcing that supports IRA regional value content requirements and de-risks global supply chains
In essence, our technology provides battery manufacturers with a future-ready, regulation-aligned PCAM solution—supporting their ability to meet not just sustainability goals, but also upcoming legal obligations across markets.
6. With your initial capacity set to scale by 2026, how do you plan to meet growing global demand while maintaining sustainability and product consistency?
To meet the accelerating global demand for sustainable PCAMs—particularly battery-grade iron phosphate—we’ve adopted a phased, infrastructure-leveraged approach that balances scale with quality and environmental responsibility.
We have already integrated our proprietary green process into existing facilities that currently serve pharmaceutical and food-grade applications, allowing us to utilize spare capacities within a validated, quality-driven infrastructure. This not only accelerates readiness but also ensures consistent process control and product uniformity, thanks to the high standards maintained across our parent company, Sudeep Pharma, over the past 35 years.
In parallel, we have established PULSE (Process & Utility Lab for Sustainable Electrochemistry)—a dedicated R&D and pilot-scale center with a capacity of 200 kg/day for iron phosphate. PULSE plays a critical role in product innovation, application testing, and development of other future PCAM chemistries.
On the market side, we have already completed validation and qualification with several global customers, with additional validations currently underway. Based on these engagements, we anticipate commercial uptake beginning by end of 2026.
Given our deep expertise in manufacturing iron phosphate at scale, coupled with our green process and integrated infrastructure, we are confident in our ability to scale reliably, meet customer timelines, and maintain the quality and sustainability benchmarks expected by leading battery and energy storage manufacturers.
7. Given India’s ambitions in energy storage and EVs, how do you see SAM contributing to building a self-reliant and green battery ecosystem?
India’s national roadmap—targeting over 500 GWh of cumulative battery demand by 2030, rapid EV adoption across two-, three-, and four-wheelers, and grid-scale energy storage integration for renewable balancing—signals a clear push toward localization, sustainability, and supply chain resilience.
At Sudeep Advanced Materials (SAM), we are committed to playing a strategic role in this transformation by:
- Manufacturing battery-grade iron phosphate (FePO₄)—a key precursor for LFP cathodes—right here in India, supporting domestic gigafactories and reducing dependence on imports.
- Deploying a green, low-emission production process, which aligns with India’s goals for a circular and climate-aligned battery value chain.
- Leveraging Sudeep Pharma’s 35-year legacy in high-purity manufacturing to ensure quality, scale, and regulatory compliance.
- Investing in future technologies through our PULSE Centre, which is focused on R&D and pilot-scale production of emerging PCAM chemistries.
While the PLI Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells is a step in the right direction, we believe that including PCAM manufacturers like SAM under the scheme is critical. Upstream materials form the foundation of cell production, and supporting this segment will be essential for India to achieve a fully integrated, self-reliant battery ecosystem.
A holistic approach that nurtures raw material to cell-level capability will not only drive innovation and job creation but also strengthen India’s position in the global energy storage and e-mobility landscape.
8. Are you exploring collaborations with battery cell manufacturers, gigafactories, or OEMs to integrate your green PCAMs into full-scale battery supply chains?
Yes, we are actively engaging with global battery cell manufacturers, gigafactories, and OEMs to integrate our Green Iron Phosphate into their supply chains. The urgency for such collaborations has grown significantly in light of geopolitical and trade challenges.
Today, China controls over 95% of the global battery materials supply chain and approximately 99% of PCAM production. Recent developments—such as China’s export restrictions on LFP-related technologies and increased tariffs in the U.S. and EU—have introduced serious uncertainty across the global battery landscape. These disruptions pose a direct challenge to the scalability, resilience, and cost structure of energy storage and EV deployment worldwide.
In this context, Sudeep Advanced Materials offers a strategically located, independent, and sustainable PCAM alternative. By manufacturing in India, using a green and resource-efficient process, and building to global battery-grade standards, we aim to provide cell makers and OEMs with a trusted, long-term solution that supports both de-risking and decarbonization of their supply chains.
Our material has already cleared qualification stages with multiple customers, and additional validations are underway. We see ourselves not just as a supplier, but as a critical enabler of secure and scalable battery supply chains for the future.
9. Looking ahead, do you plan to diversify beyond iron phosphate into other battery chemistries like manganese or nickel-based PCAMs?
Yes, diversification is part of our long-term roadmap. While our initial focus is on Green Iron Phosphate for LFP applications, we recognize the growing demand for high-energy chemistries—especially nickel-, manganese-, and cobalt-based PCAMs for long-range EVs and high-density storage.
Our PULSE Centre is already equipped and staffed to conduct R&D on next-generation PCAMs, including manganese-rich and nickel-based formulations. We are taking a phased approach—starting with process innovation, lab-scale validation, and application testing—before scaling these materials to commercial volumes.
As markets evolve and application requirements diversify, our objective is to offer a full suite of sustainable PCAM solutions to support the energy transition across vehicle platforms and stationary storage systems.
