Epsilon and Tufts University Launch $11.5 Million Materials Research Institute

Epsilon and Tufts University announced today the creation of the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute with an $11.5 million sponsorship from the industrial conglomerate. The institute, to be housed at Tufts' School of Engineering, will focus on materials science research aimed at developing advanced battery solutions for the global market.

The partnership will fund three new faculty positions and establish seed funding for future collaborations centered on clean energy innovation. Research at the institute will emphasize developing next-generation battery materials with applications in electric vehicles and sustainable energy storage systems.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director of Epsilon and Tufts alumnus, stated that the collaboration strengthens the company's commitment to research and development in high-performance battery materials. The institute will work alongside Epsilon's planned 60,000-ton graphite anode facility in North Carolina, supporting the company's goal of building a robust supply chain for energy transition.

"This collaboration strengthens our commitment to R&D in high-performance battery materials, supporting the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions in the U.S.," said Handa. "We believe this institute will foster the collaboration needed between academia and industry to address the global energy challenges we face today."

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar emphasized that the partnership aligns with the university's commitment to clean energy solutions. "Creating impactful solutions for today's energy challenges requires a purposeful, collective vision and dedicated researchers to realize that vision," he said.

The institute will collaborate with various departments at Tufts, including the Tufts Institute for AI, as well as industry partners. One of its aims is to support India's EV30@30 initiative, which targets electric vehicles accounting for 30% of new vehicle sales by 2030.

Established in 2010, Epsilon Group operates across multiple sectors within the carbon materials industry. The company's carbon division operates India's first fully integrated carbon facility in Bellary, Karnataka, with an annual capacity of 215,000 tons of carbon black and 320,000 tons of specialized carbon derivatives.

Epsilon Advanced Materials, established in 2018, produces anode and cathode battery materials and operates India's first graphite anode material plant. The company has made investments globally, including facilities in North Carolina and Finland, and has recently entered the lithium-ion phosphate cathode active material business.

The new institute represents a significant development in industry-academia partnerships focused on sustainable energy solutions and highlights the growing importance of advanced materials research in addressing climate change and energy transition challenges.