Company joins state-backed research project to develop non-lithium sodium-ion batteries

Dongwha Electrolyte, an affiliate of Dongwha Enterprise, will manufacture electrolytes for so-called salt batteries and supply them to a government-backed research consortium developing next-generation rechargeable batteries.

According to the company Tuesday, it is joining the battery segment of the "Market-Leading Next-Generation Secondary Battery Innovation Strategy Research Consortium" (K-BIC), part of the "Global TOP Strategy Research Consortium" support project.

Specifically, Dongwha Electrolyte is joining the second phase of a project to develop "ultra-low-cost (under $50 per kWh) and long-life non-lithium secondary batteries," which targets the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIB) — regarded as a next-generation energy storage system battery. The company will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying reference electrolytes, defining key quality characteristics of electrolytes, and establishing electrolyte quality standards.

The secondary battery strategy consortium brings together leading industry, academic, research and government players in South Korea's battery sector. With a total project budget of 130 billion won ($96.9 million), it aims to overcome technical challenges facing SIB technology, secure foundational intellectual property, and build an R&D collaboration platform to establish a leading position in future battery markets. Dongwha Electrolyte is the only electrolyte company among the consortium's participating organizations.

Through its participation, Dongwha Electrolyte will expand its research scope beyond its existing focus on materials development to include cell development, commercialization process development and safety verification. "We expect to build a demonstration research framework by securing SIB materials technology that reflects the needs of the ESS industry ahead of others," said Kim Jong-hun, co-CEO of Dongwha Electrolyte. "We will strengthen our business foundation by expanding our next-generation portfolio in preparation for future markets."

Kim Myung-hwan, director of the strategy consortium, said the collaboration with leading companies such as Dongwha Electrolyte had created an opportunity for the consortium's innovative technologies to translate into real industrial competitiveness.


freiheit@heraldcorp.com