Braskem Chosen to Negotiate $50M US DOE Award for Electrification Revolution

Braskem, a leading polyolefins producer in the Americas and a global leader in biopolymers, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains to negotiate the terms of a $50 million award. This funding, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to enhance Braskem's production of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) at its facility in La Porte, Texas, specifically for the lithium-ion battery separator (LIBS) market. Braskem's UHMWPE, marketed under the brand name UTEC®, plays a key role in strengthening the lithium-ion battery value chain in the U.S.

The project is expected to create more than 250 skilled jobs, spanning engineering, procurement, construction, and operational startup phases. Mark Nikolich, CEO of Braskem America, expressed the company's pride in being selected for this prestigious award, noting that it will drive momentum in U.S. battery manufacturing. He emphasized that this award would not only enable Braskem to better meet the growing demands of North American customers but also reaffirm the company’s commitment to supporting the electrification revolution with world-class, domestically produced UHMWPE.

UTEC offers exceptional properties such as chemical stability, corrosion resistance, tensile strength, thermal stability, and porosity, making it an ideal material for lightweight battery separators used in electric vehicles. These attributes help improve battery charging efficiency and contribute to reducing carbon emissions. UTEC's molecular weight is roughly 10 times higher than that of standard high-density polyethylene (HDPE), providing superior performance for a wide range of demanding applications, including in industries such as construction, agriculture, material handling, transportation, textiles, pulp and paper, food and beverage, mining, marine, oil and gas, high-performance fibers, porous plastics, and wastewater treatment.

This award would be a significant catalyst for Braskem’s efforts to expand its impact on the growing lithium-ion battery market, furthering U.S. advancements in energy storage and electrification.

Braskem is a global company with industrial operations across Brazil, the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. Established in 2002 through the merger of six companies from the Odebrecht Organization and the Mariani Group, Braskem has grown to become the sixth largest petrochemical producer in the world, specializing in thermoplastic resins. Serving customers in over 71 countries, Braskem leads the market in the Americas and is a trailblazer in the large-scale industrial production of biopolymers—plastics made from renewable raw materials. Braskem is the largest plastics producer in the Americas, measured by the annual production capacity of its facilities in Brazil and the United States. Braskem manufactures a diverse array of petrochemicals and thermoplastics, such as polyethylene (PE), green polyethylene (a biopolymer), polypropylene (PP), and PVC.