■ Development of Korea’s first ‘separator coating material manufacturing technology’ based on polymer solid electrolyte to solve instability issues of lithium metal anodes for next-generation semisolid/all-solid-state lithium metal batteries, and completed patent application
■ Possible to save on investment costs when producing semisolid/all-solid-state batteries using the existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing process
■ Constructed research cooperation relations through share investment and JDA (joint R&D agreement) in the US lithium metal anode development startup ‘SOELECT’ in 2021... Accelerating efforts on collaboration and commercialization of technological development related to lithium metal batteries with high energy density and stability compared to existing lithium-ion batteries
■ Technology Institute Director Hwang Min-jae, “By promptly securing core battery technologies using the future material technologies of LOTTE Chemical, we will actively pioneer the global battery material market and pioneer the relevant market”

LOTTE Chemical announced that it developed Korea’s first ‘separator coating material manufacturing technology’ based on polymer solid electrolyte to solve instability issues of lithium metal anodes used in next-generation semisolid/all-solid-state lithium metal batteries, and completed patent application of this.

This technology is characterized by improving the durability of lithium battery materials by suppressing dendrite (phenomenon where needle-shapes generate from lithium, crystallization of shapes that reduce battery activities) by coating functional materials on the lithium metal battery separator to improve the flow of lithium ions.

Through this, it is possible to secure long-term stability and durability of lithium metal anodes, and it displayed over 90% capacity conservation rate at 500 cycles, and therefore, approximately 30% or higher durability improvement effects compared to non-coated separators can be expected.

Using this technology can make it possible to use manufacturing equipment applied in existing lithium-ion batteries, thus saving on investment costs when constructing next-generation semisolid/all-solid-state lithium metal battery production facilities.

Since making share investments and JDA (joint R&D agreement) with ‘SOELECT’, a US startup that develops lithium metal anodes in 2021, LOTTE Chemical developed and applied technologies related to semisolid/all-solid-state lithium metal batteries that are said to be ‘next-generation batteries’ due to its high energy density and stability compared to existing lithium-ion batteries through about two years of joint research.

LOTTE Chemical is currently conducting tests for application of the technology with domestic and overseas lithium metal battery companies and plans to additionally build cooperative relationships with specialized research institutes. By doing so, it plans to pioneer markets where lithium metal anodes can be applied and accelerate commercialization of lithium metal batteries.

Technology Institute Director Hwang Min-jae stated, “By promptly securing core battery technologies using the future material technologies of LOTTE Chemical, we will actively pioneer the global battery material market and pioneer the relevant market.”

SOELECT CEO Cho Sung-jin commented, “Through the joint R&D with LOTTE Chemical, we developed polymer electrolytes for prolonging the life of high-capacity lithium metal anodes and the material and process technologies for applying this, and we will also speed up commercialization of highly stable lithium metal batteries through various cooperation.”

Last year, LOTTE Chemical newly organized the ‘Battery Material Business Team’ and has been actively expanding the capacities of the battery material business as part of its plans for new growth engines. The mechanical completion of the highly pure ethylene carbonate (EC) and demethyl carbonate (DMC) production facilities, which are electrolyte organic solvents for EV batteries at the Daesan Plant by the second half of this year.

LOTTE Chemical plans to grow into a core enterprise for the global supply chain of EV-battery-materials through systematic and proactive investments and incubating in preparation for the future increase in demand for EVs and expansion of renewable energy.