01 Anode active material for lithium secondary batteries

1. Silicon particle nanoization: Significant cost increase burden

2. Coating silicon particles with thermally decomposed carbon : Significant cost increase burden

3. Mixing small amounts of silicon particles into graphite anode materials

4. Composite formation of silicon particles and nano-carbon particles

• Lithium secondary batteries possess advantages such as high energy density, long lifespan, fast charging speed, and lightweight characteristics. However, they also have drawbacks including safety concerns, high cost, and disposal issues. The anode material accounts for approximately 14% of the battery material cost and plays a role in allowing current flow by storing and releasing lithium ions generated from the cathode.
• Currently, anode materials primarily use graphite, which has a regular layered structure, and are broadly categorized into natural and synthetic graphite. Natural graphite has been the most stable and cost-effective material for storing lithium ions. However, due to concerns regarding structural stability arising from expansion during use, the usage proportion of synthetic graphite, which addresses these issues, is gradually increasing. Synthetic graphite is produced through high-temperature treatment at 3000°C, resulting in higher crystallinity and a more uniform structure compared to natural graphite, thereby providing greater stability.
• It is forecasted that the total demand for anode active materials will reach approximately 1.36 million tons by 2025, showing an average annual growth of 39% from the baseline. Among these, synthetic graphite is expected to increase slightly from 53% in 2019 to 60% in 2025. Meanwhile, natural graphite, which holds the second-highest proportion, is anticipated to decrease from 43% to 28%. However, it will still remain the most widely used anode active material after synthetic graphite.
• Silicon anode materials offer the advantage of approximately 10 times higher energy density compared to conventional graphite-based anode materials, which can extend the driving range of electric vehicles and facilitate rapid charging designs to reduce charging times. Additionally, silicon is environmentally friendly and abundantly available on Earth, making it an economically viable material. However, despite these advantages, silicon anode materials face challenges such as a significant expansion of around four times in volume during battery charging and irreversibility. This irreversibility means that the expanded anode does not return to its original form upon discharge. The battery industry is actively conducting research and development to stabilize silicon structures. Addressing the issue of volume expansion in batteries is seen as a crucial factor in securing market leadership.

02 High-performance Carbon Materials for Aerospace and Fusion Reactors

• Carbon materials are essential core materials in the aerospace industry, being used in structural components of launch vehicles, nozzles of space launchers, and increasingly expanding into military applications. Most of these carbon materials are controlled tightly for technology export, with only a few countries, including the United States and some European nations, holding the technology. After starting the development of space launch vehicles domestically, efforts were made to import high-quality, high-density graphite solids and carbon/carbon composite materials, but products with certain specifications were unavailable for import. Recently, some of these restrictions have been gradually lifted, allowing more flexible imports of graphite solids for nozzles used in short- to medium-range rockets for military purposes. However, given the uncertainty of when these advanced materials for aerospace applications might face regulation again, it is imperative to focus on domestic production capability.
• Carbon materials, including carbon fiber, activated carbon, synthetic graphite, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are lightweight and high-strength materials with excellent properties. Carbon fiber composites are used in urban air mobility (UAM), space launch vehicles, and other applications, while high-density isotropic graphite solids are essential materials in advanced industries such as semiconductors and nuclear reactors. However, due to reasons such as lack of delivery records (track records), domestic carbon material companies face limitations in securing global markets or enhancing their technological capabilities.
• In the semiconductor industry, graphite components are essential materials and also core materials in the steelmaking and metal industries. Moreover, they are indispensable in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) and nuclear fusion reactors, both recognized as systems for producing clean energy such as hydrogen. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a domestic aerospace and defense ecosystem.
• The aerospace and defense industry is not only a key industry for economic development and national security but also a future-oriented industry. The space industry is expected to continue growing, not only economically and industrially but also in terms of national defense and security, closely related to the safety of the nation and its people.
• Carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials are expected to replace traditional thermoset composite materials and be widely used in various industries as advanced materials. Especially with the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, the demand for carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials is expected to rise significantly, with potential applications in structures for drones, high-speed ferries, and mass transit vehicles such as buses.