● SK Chemical, Development of Secondary Cell Battery Material: “First Results Achieved”

- “A First for Korea”: Development of a high-functioning secondary cell battery electrolyte additive
- Longer lasting than original additive, features large output



SK Chemical developed a secondary cell battery material that is higher functioning than existing material.

On the 19th SK Chemical’s President Kim-chul revealed that the company has completed its development of an electrolyte additive that is used to increase the quality of secondary cell batteries.

This secondary cell battery electrolyte, along with positive/negative poles, cathode, and dividing rod, is a central component of a secondary cell battery. This electrolyte provides the medium for the lithium-ion to move back and forth between the poles and cathode inside the battery and the additive is used to maximize the performance of the electrolyte.

It is important to note that the improvement in performance of the electrolyte, including the secondary cell battery’s increase in lifespan, safety, output, and stability, is directly related to the high-functioning additive.

It has been four years since SK Chemical put together the group specifically in charge of developing materials for secondary cell batteries in 2012--a group which has now achieved success in creating a superior functioning additive than existed before.

Electrolyte additives are divided into additives with expired patents available for widespread use and high-functioning additives with unique functions that are under patent. For high-functioning additives, since their electrochemical characteristic is based in the design/synthesis of new materials and requires advanced technical skills and knowledge, only 3-4 U.S. and Japanese businesses are dominating the market.

While several Korean domestic companies have previously imported raw material to manufacture, synthesize, and sell general purpose additives, this is the first instance of a domestic company developing a high-functioning additive through a self-patented technology.

The company points out that the additive it discovered performs better than previously existing product based on most performance indexes and, if used, the secondary cell-battery’s life is extended and exhibits greater power output than before.

Using special assessment equipment SK Chemical conducted a test comparing the pre-existing high performing additive with its newly developed additive with results showing that SK’s additive has a 27% higher capacity recovery and 20% lower internal resistance.

Capacity recovery is an index that reveals the recovery rate of a dead secondary cell battery after leaving it untouched for a prescribed amount of time. It can be said that the higher this figure is the longer the life of the battery.

Internal resistance is a figure directly related to output. The lower it is the higher the output is.


[Reference] Explanation of Terms

▶ Capacity Recovery?
Figure that reveals recovery capacity of dead secondary cell battery after being left untouched for a prescribed amount of time (mAh)

▶ Internal resistance?
Figure that shows resistance blocking electric current flow; the lower the figure the higher the output achieved


SBased on its development of this new additive SK Chemical plans to begin in earnest to target the secondary cell battery materials market.

Kim Jong-Ryang, SK Chemical’s Chemical Laboratory Chief, said “In 2015 the entire secondary cell battery additive market was around a mere 200 billion won; however, based on the growth of the electric vehicle market, we expect the market size to quadruple to 800 billion won by 2020. We will work to improve Korean additive technology for secondary cell batteries along with use our growth in this area to promote cooperation with secondary cell battery manufacturers in Korea and abroad.”