Carbon nanomaterial technology to be applied to suppress battery volumetric expansion during charge-discharge cycles, preventing structural deformation and significantly extending battery life

Young-jun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Research Institute: “The two companies have agreed to combine their world-class technology leadership to develop advanced battery materials”

POSCO Future M has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with U.S.-based Sila for the joint development of advanced battery materials.

The two companies signed the MOU on the 11th at COEX in Seoul, in a ceremony attended by Young-jun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Research Institute, Gleb Yushin, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Sila, and executives and employees from both organizations.

Under the MOU, POSCO Future M plans to push advanced battery material technology further by combining the company’s cathode and anode material capabilities with Sila’s silicon anode material technology.

Silicon anode materials offers up to ten times the energy storage capacity of conventional graphite-based anode materials, enabling a significant increase in EV driving range while substantially reducing charging times. By leveraging carbon nanomaterial technology, the two companies expect to address one of the longstanding drawbacks of silicon anode material: the volumetric expansion that occurs during charge-discharge cycles. This approach is anticipated to prevent structural deformation and significantly extend battery life. The companies also agreed to explore the use of POSCO Future M’s carbon material technology to improve the cost competitiveness of silicon anode material, which currently commands a premium price.

Young-jun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Research Institute, said, “The two companies have agreed to combine their world-class technology leadership to develop advanced battery materials,” and added, “We will continue to extend the partnership beyond technology development to the supply chain level.”

Sila is a battery materials company headquartered in California that holds proprietary technology for high-performance silicon anode materials. The company works with major automakers and battery manufacturers to increase EV driving range and reduce charging times, and operates a silicon anode material production facility in Moses Lake, Washington.

Meanwhile, POSCO Future M is showcasing the research and development activities of its partner companies, including Sila and Factorial, a collaborator on all-solid-state battery technology, in the Open Innovation zone of its exhibition at InterBattery, which opened on the 11th.

▲POSCO Future M and Sila signed a memorandum of understanding at COEX in Seoul on the 11th, pledging collaboration in the field of advanced battery materials. Pictured from left: Young-jun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Research Institute; Gleb Yushin, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Sila.

Synergistic Benefits Expected from POSCO Future M’s Materials Technology and Factorial’s Network of Automakers in Korea, Europe, and North America

Explosive Growth in All-Solid-State Battery Applications Expected in Next-Generation Mobility as well as Physical AI Markets, including Humanoids

POSCO Future M is investing in Factorial, a US-based all-solid-state battery company, to lead the future battery market.

POSCO Future M signed an investment agreement with Factorial Inc. on January 7th and completed the investment payment on 26th. This further strengthens their partnership, following the MOU signed by the two companies in November of last year for the development of all-solid-state battery technology.

Through this investment, POSCO Future M plans to prepare for the explosive growth of the all-solid-state battery market, while Factorial will secure a stable supply of high-quality all-solid-state battery materials and strengthen its battery manufacturing competitiveness.

Hong Young-Jun, Head of Technology Research Laboratory, stated, “Both companies have developed materials technology through a close and continuous partnership. This further developed partnership will enable us to secure unrivaled competitiveness in line with the rapidly growing all-solid-state battery market.”

Factorial, a leader in the all-solid-state battery industry headquartered in Massachusetts, is pursuing an IPO on the US stock market. In Korea, it operates a pilot plant for all-solid-state batteries in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and is actively expanding its business.

Factorial’s all-solid-state battery platform, Solstice, is known for its superior energy density and safety. Based on this leading technology, it has established partnerships with major automakers in Korea, Europe, and North America. The combination of Factorial’s network competitiveness and POSCO Future M’s materials technology is expected to generate synergy in the future partnership between the two companies.

All-solid-state batteries, which utilize solid electrolytes instead of conventional liquid electrolytes, offer superior energy density and safety, drawing attention as a game changer in the battery market. POSCO Future M has been conducting sample testing of all-solid-state battery cathode materials with Factorial, and among many materials suppliers, POSCO Future M’s materials have been evaluated as superior in terms of quality, including output characteristics.

The all-solid-state battery materials currently being developed by POSCO Future M are expected to find significant applications in next-generation mobility, such as autonomous electric vehicles and urban air mobility (UAM), as well as in physical AI markets, such as humanoids and robotics.

According to global market research firm Statista, the physical AI market is projected to grow from $5 billion (approximately 7 trillion won) in 2020 to $64.3 billion (approximately 94 trillion won) in 2030, at a compound annual growth rate of 23.3%. Morgan Stanley projects the global humanoid market to reach $5 trillion (approximately 7,000 trillion won) by 2050, exceeding the semiconductor market by six times by 2025.

POSCO Future M possesses material design and coating technologies optimized for all-solid-state batteries. As part of the POSCO Group, the company is continuously expanding its portfolio of all-solid-state battery materials, including sulfide-based solid electrolytes and silicon and lithium metal anode materials with superior energy storage capacity.

▲ An employee at POSCO Future M’s Technology Research Laboratory in Sejong operates pilot equipment for cathode material trial production.

▲ Aerial view of POSCO Future M’s Pohang cathode material plant

In sample testing of materials from multiple suppliers, POSCO Future M demonstrated good rate capability.

Synergy expected between POSCO Future M’s competitiveness in cathode/anode materials and Factorial’s battery cell technology

POSCO Future M, a leading battery materials supplier, and Factorial Inc. (Factorial), a leader in solid-state battery technology, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU, for the development of all-solid-state battery technology.

The MOU signing ceremony which took place on November 25 at the Future Battery Forum in Berlin, was attended by POSCO Future M Head of Technology Research Laboratory Hong Young-Jun and Factorial CEO Siyu Huang, along with executives from both companies.

Under the MOU, the two companies plan to explore cooperation in developing materials for all-solid-state batteries, which are powering progress in next-generation industries such as electric vehicles, robotics, energy storage systems and more. All-solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes instead of liquid between the cathode and anode, offering higher safety, superior energy density, and excellent charging performance compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries.

Factorial decided to sign the MOU after testing cathode material samples for all-solid-state batteries and concluding that POSCO Future M’s materials demonstrated good rate capability.

Through this MOU, POSCO Future M aims to further strengthen its competitiveness in the all-solid-state battery materials business. The company is currently conducting R&D on cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries, and silicon anode materials.

POSCO Future M Head of Technology Research Laboratory Hong Young-Jun said, “We expect synergy in the next-generation all-solid-state battery business based on Factorial’s battery technology and market presence with global automakers, and POSCO Future M’s competitiveness in cathode and anode materials.”

“Solid-state batteries are entering a new era of commercial readiness,” said Siyu Huang, CEO of Factorial. “We expect work with POSCO Future M to not only accelerate innovation in critical cathode and anode materials, but also strengthen a resilient global supply chain and drive meaningful cost reductions at scale.”

Factorial, headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, has a global footprint with pilot manufacturing operations in Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea.

Meanwhile, POSCO Future M plans to build a product portfolio of cathode and anode materials covering entry-level, standard, and premium electric vehicles through continuous R&D, preparing to supply customized products to customers. The company will also actively pursue the development of next-generation materials to lead the future mobility industry, while the POSCO Group is also continuing R&D on lithium metal anode materials and sulfide-based solid electrolytes.

▲ POSCO Future M signed an MOU with U.S. all-solid-state battery company Factorial Energy to develop all-solid-state battery technology at the Future Battery Forum held in Berlin, Germany on the 25th of last month. (From left, Hong Young-jun, head of POSCO Future M Technology Research Institute, and Siyu Huang, CEO of Factorial Energy).

POSCO Group does its best to develop technologies that contribute to safety and carbon neutrality. We introduce POSCO Group’s excellent new technologies to create a better world! In this episode, we will learn about POSCO Future M’s localized technology for artificial graphite anode materials.

Graphite, which is familiar from pencil lead, is widely used in various industrial applications including refractories in converters that must withstand high temperatures. It is also a core anode material that determines the lifespan and charging performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

POSCO Future M is the only company in Korea that produces both anode and anode materials, which are core materials for secondary batteries. While the company was producing natural graphite anode materials made from natural graphite, it developed the technology to produce artificial graphite anode materials. POSCO Future M’s artificial graphite anode manufacturing technology processes needle coke, a raw material, at a high temperature of over 3,000 ℃ to produce anode material. It was the first Korean company to develop and commercialize artificial graphite anode production technology, which has increased the competitiveness of the domestic secondary battery industry. Why did the company develop technology for localizing artificial graphite, and what has the technology development changed?

POSCO Future M entered the anode material business after realizing that coal tar, a byproduct of the steelmaking process, can be used to produce anode materials. With continuous technology development, it became the only Korean company to produce natural graphite anode materials in 2011.

As orders increased from domestic companies that had imported anode materials from overseas, POSCO Future M increased its natural graphite anode material production capacity and expanded its product portfolio to include artificial graphite anode materials. Although artificial graphite anode materials are favored in the market for their long battery life and high-speed charging, commercialization is difficult because of high raw material costs. Until then, no companies produced them domestically, so only imports were available. When POSCO Future M succeeded in developing artificial graphite anode material first in June 2014, the use of this material increased as the electric vehicle market rapidly grew, and the company decided that it was the right time to produce artificial graphite anode materials and accelerated technological development proactively in response.

Manufacturing cost reduction and real-time quality management by introducing smart factory processes

Artificial graphite requires long and complex processes compared to natural graphite, and it is relatively difficult to control quality during production. POSCO Future M completely internalized all processes and introduced smart factory processes to reduce manufacturing costs and maintain customer trust through real-time quality control.

Let’s take a closer look at the production process of artificial graphite anode materials. The raw material for artificial graphite anode material is needle cokes, made by processing coal tar, a byproduct in the steelmaking process. There is a pulverizing process to adjust the size of needle coke particles, a granulation process of mixing needle coke and pitch during the pulverizing process, and a preliminary carbonization process of carbonizing the raw material before graphitization to increase productivity. Afterward, the raw material is thermally treated at 3000 ℃ or higher to convert it into artificial graphite, and the artificial graphite surface is coated evenly with pitch. Then, after post-processing, such as de-iron, the product is packed, which completes the production of artificial graphite anode materials in Korea.

Graphitization, which heat treats needle coke, the raw material, at a high temperature of 3,000 ℃ or higher is the core process and the most important technology that determines the quality and performance of the anode. It is very important to optimize the process conditions according to the raw material type and amount, and POSCO Future M has proprietary graphitization process technology for this.

The artificial graphite anode materials manufactured by POSCO Future M have the advantages of a longer battery lifespan due to their high structural stability and low impurity content and decreased fast charging time due to quicker lithium ion movement speed because of their isotropic structure.

Operational competitiveness is secured with a self-designed graphitization process

The graphitization process involves mixing raw materials in a crucible, placing them in a graphitization furnace, and heat-treating them at 3,000 ℃ or higher to produce graphite. Generally, when crucibles are put into and discharged from a graphitization furnace, people go directly into the furnace and perform various manual tasks, such as connecting the crane.
POSCO Future M designed the graphitization process automation system considering operator safety. Raw materials are transferred through a pipeline with strong air pressure, and robots put raw materials into crucibles and place them in the graphitization furnace. After being heat-treated at 3,000 ℃ or higher, artificial graphite is transferred through the pipeline to post-processes such as coating.

Value chain synergy effect to increase the resource circulation rate

Needle coke, the raw material for artificial graphite anode materials, is supplied by POSCO Future M’s subsidiary POSCO MC Materials. POSCO MC Materials produces needle coke by drying coal tar, a byproduct of coke manufacturing in the steelmaking process, at a high temperature. The localization of artificial graphite production technology has enabled POSCO to secure the steelmaking byproduct market and POSCO Future M to stably secure the raw material. It helps resource circulation and leads to the synergy effect of POSCO Group’s value chain.

Goal of increasing anode material production capacity

POSCO Future M plans to increase the annual anode material production capacity from 82,000 tons currently to 370,000 tons by 2030. Its goal is to maintain its No. 1 position in the global market outside China by having an annual production capacity of 182,000 tons of natural graphite anode materials, 153,000 tons of artificial graphite anode materials, and 35,000 tons of silicon anode materials by 2030.

First export of artificial graphite anode materials after localization

In December 2022, POSCO Future M signed a contract with Ultium Cells, a battery joint venture between U.S. GM and LG Energy Solutions, to supply artificial graphite anode materials worth approximately KRW 939.9 billion. The supply period is 6 years from 2023 to 2028. It is the first export of artificial graphite anode materials following localization. PSOCO Future M plans to secure its leadership in the artificial graphite anode material market by preemptively responding to increasing global demand, including expanding the supply chain in the battery industry following the enactment of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

POSCO Future M is ready to fly higher with the localization of key battery materials!
Please follow us as we continue to pioneer the artificial graphite anode material market!

Lightweight is compulsary for future electric vehicles(Source: MEGAEV)

The Lighter the Car, the Further it Goes

Vehicle electrification refers to the reduction or removal of the internal combustion engine and replacing it with an electric motor and battery. While electrification helps reduce global warming emissions, the batteries used in electric vehicles are too large in volume and weight, which limits the number of batteries a vehicle can carry. This leads to the critical drawback of an EV – that it cannot travel far on a single charge.

Placing more batteries in the vehicle to increase the driving range will also increase the vehicle weight, causing a further decrease in energy efficiency. So what are the ways to improve efficiency in electrified vehicles?

Material Matters

Reducing the weight of the materials used in the vehicles can be one solution. With government subsidies, EV manufacturers have been using carbon fiber composite materials and aluminum, which are lightweight but high cost materials to reduce vehicle weight. As EVs become more common and manufacturing cost becomes a growing concern, steel is expected to become an attractive alternative as a more economical material.

Also, since the battery is highly flammable upon impact, the ultra-high strength steel is expected to become more widely used in electric vehicles for an added layer of protection against collision. As provider of various steel solutions for automobiles including the ultra-high strength ‘GIGA STEEL’ and magnesium panels, POSCO is accelerating its efforts to support the changing needs of the auto industry to provide durable and lightweight solutions.

Limited performance of battery for electric vehicle can be improved by increasing the density of battery(Source: Los Angeles Times)

Battery, the heart of the EV

Electric vehicle gets its propulsion from batteries. The current issue of the battery is developing the battery with higher density. Like any other batteries, batteries for EV also have a lower density of energy compared to petroleum fueled energy. Basically, the energy density of battery is decided by the ratio of the substances (Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt and Manganese) composing cathode.

Due to the fluctuation of the price, increasing the ratio of Nickel is the new strategy to maximize the efficiency. In the recognition of this trend, POSCO ESM, one of the affiliates of the POSCO that manufactures the material for cathode and anode for batteries, developed PG-NCM (short for POSCO Gradient-Nickel Cobalt Manganese, applied NCM811 that contains more than 80% of Nickel) to prepare the future battles of electric battery field.

Efficiency of electric vehicle is still controversial(Source: Cardiff University Research)

What Drives the EV?

Another factor that can help increase the efficiency of an electric vehicle is the driving motor, which acts as an engine that moves the vehicle. Efficiency of the driving motor can be increased by reducing the thickness of the steel layers in the motor core, a key component of the driving motor. POSCO’s Hyper NO and self-bonding technologies enable production of 0.15mm ultrathin steel layers and high efficiency motor core components.

Efficiency of electric vehicle is still controversial(Source: LGNewsroom)

Future of Mobility

As public transportation becomes more convenient and the sharing economy becomes more widespread, it is becoming easier to “share” a vehicle whenever needed. With increased automation, we will see more vehicles that are simplified to accommodate 1, 2 persons or 8-person shuttles that are optimized for the shared economy. The race to provide the finest materials and components to accelerate the shift of paradigm of mobility has already begun.

Another man Mr. Byungwook Kim (25 years old at the time) was hit by careless driver in the road in 1998. As a consequence, his dream playing tennis in a national team simply disappeared.

Byungwook Kim, wear Work-on-suit in Cybathlon 2016 (Source: Professor Kong)

However, the miracle had happened to both of them due to the support of new advanced robotic technology called ‘wearable robot’. Now Mr. Kim is able to climb the stairs or even step the stones. Moreover, he won bronze Cybathlon 2016, the first Cyborg Olympic that competes robotic technologies for people with disabilities and Mr. Lee became the first person to deliver the torch in Pyeongchang Paralympic in 2018.

Wearable robots can be used in diverse sections such as protection in harsh condition (Source: Engineers Ireland)

Where we can find them?

In fact, wearable robot is already introduced in various fields. Wearable robot is applied not only for people with disabilities (paralysis of the whole body or partially) but also protection for employees from harsh conditions or life support purpose for the elders. For instance, the Korean steel manufacturing company, POSCO has applied wearable robot to manage the refractory in furnace which gave the advantage of increasing productivity by 12.6 billion won (worth as approximately 12.9 million US dollars). (Source: “Current level of Korean wearable technology?” (2016). Donga Ilbo).

The technology has brought a great improvement in terms of efficiency, enabling to save 54 days to finish the process consequently saving 12.1 billion won (worth 121 million US dollars) and the less human resources are requited that worth saving 8 hundred million won (worth 100 thousand US dollars). Furthermore, wearable robot is introduced into diverse fields such as supporting fireman or VR (virtual gaming).

SEE ALSO: Will Artificial Intelligence Lead to Breakthroughs in the Steel Industry?

Scene from ‘Iron man 3’. Wearable robot may come sooner than you anticipate (Source: theHollywoodreporter)

Is it realistic?

You can imagine the world famous move ‘Iron man (2008)’. In the movie, when Tony Stark (main character in the movie) simply calls the Iron man suit, it comes to his body automatically. As the series goes on, the technology of the suit also dramatically developed. Recently, news from the movie ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ stimulate the curiosity of new advanced technology of the Iron man suit.

Wearable robots may promise better quality of life (Source: ZDNet)

What makes that wearable robot get close to our real life rapidly? Significant improvement of wearable robot compartment such as electric motors, battery, processors can be the reason. But most of all, innovative development of material is the key factor.

Light weight, flexibility and endurance are the fundamental elements

Why materials?

Since the wearable robot is designed to fit in human body, the light weight of the structure is fundamental. Recommended materials for designing wearable robot need to be reinforced plastic or even lighter and have more flexibility.

High impact is another factor that wearable robot need to endure. The physical force of walking is the same amount of force that can bend 5mm X 10mm thickness of aluminum stick. Therefore, structure of the wearable robot should have adequate strength to protect the people who wear them. This is the reason why most of the wearable robots are made of alloy materials.

Therefore, the fundamental element for the success of wearable robot will be application of light and high impact materials into wearable robot’s structure. One of the good examples is “GIGA Steel” that has been recently invented by POSCO providing significant impression to robotic scientists by showing advanced quality on both hard impact and workability. GIGA steel is also recommendable for custom manufacture.

SEE ALSO: Auto Industry Finds Steel Solution for Lightweighting

Advanced robotic technology can lead elevation of quality of human life (Source: SG Robotics)

Pack of robots working in the factory is not just all about 4th industrial revolution. Wearable robot may play in a crucial role in improving human quality of life. With wearable robot’s help, walking disability might be considered as little discomfort in near future. Korea is one of the leading countries in wearable robotic fields and POSCO’s advanced technology may influence huge impact on the wearable robotic fields.

More drivers are making the switch from gas to electricity to fuel their cars. (Source: The Korea Bizwire)

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: Electric Vehicles and the Future of the Automotive Market

Why don’t more people drive EVs?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a variety of benefits for drivers, the most obvious being cheaper electricity prices compared to gas. Not only that, EVs only have about a third of the parts of ICE vehicles, which results in maintenance-cost reductions by about 60 percent. There are also government subsidies that support EV manufacturers and consumers in numerous countries, and environmental regulations only look to strengthen. Despite all this, drivers have been slow to make the switch to EVs, and there are 3 critical reasons why.

1. Range

Today, EVs can travel about 200 to 400 miles on a single charge, and while this may be sufficient for most urban drivers, it’s still not enough coverage to relieve drivers of range anxiety. Low-capacity batteries are not the only problem – the weight of the car and the efficiency of the motor and converter also affect range. Put simply, even if a battery could hold more energy, it won’t result in increased range if the car is too heavy or the motor is inefficient and uses up too much energy. Automakers have to come up with comprehensive solutions to improve the battery capacity and motor efficiency as well as lightweight their vehicles.

Drivers are often wary of their EVs running out of juice where there are no charging stations. (Source: Sandman YouTube Channel)

2. Charging Time

EVs currently take up to several hours to fully charge, depending on the battery. Although there have been advancements in charging systems that allow for shorter charging times, the average charging duration cannot compete with the 3 to 5 minutes people spend at gas stations.

3. Charging Stations

Despite the technological leaps made in the development of EVs, charging infrastructure has not maintained the same pace. Gas stations outnumber charging stations in every country, and it will take time to figure out a model to commercialize charging stations and make the business more profitable.

Charging stations have not yet been commercialized as gas stations have. (Source: Coinfeeds)

Why EVs are still driving toward a bright future

Although there are still challenges to overcome, one of the greatest drivers of widespread EV adoption is national policy. A growing number of countries have declared they will limit or even ban ICE cars altogether by 2020. Policies are already in place to support a more environmentally sustainable auto industry, and companies are working hard to navigate and capitalize on the changing market environment.

This will bring about a wealth of new opportunities for related industries. That’s why automotive, materials, electronics and chemical companies around the world are investing heavily in technology to preempt this market, and first movers will gain a tremendous advantage.

POSCO is one of the companies looking to lead the global EV materials market and has been investing in and developing innovative solutions for EV manufacturers. POSCO has designed an ultra-lightweight yet strong chassis and developed the necessary parts to bring it to life. POSCO is also currently working with auto manufacturers, giving them access to POSCO’s EV chassis design expertise as well as its newly-developed materials.

POSCO has designed an ideal chassis for electric vehicles. (Source: News Tomato)

In addition, POSCO works closely with each of its affiliates including POSCO Daewoo, ICT, ESM and ComTech that are highly specialized in their respective fields. In cooperation with its affiliates, customers and academia, POSCO is in the process of developing innovative technologies for batteries, electric motors and charging infrastructure. As such, the EV sector has become a core business area for POSCO.  

Everything from the EV chassis and battery to the motor and charging infrastructure is codependent. Therefore, in order to develop an advanced EV that meets the needs of consumers, an integrated approach is vital. POSCO is in prime position to work with all of its affiliates under One POSCO and gear toward a future of cars running on electric motors.

Cover photo courtesy of The Wellingtonian.

There are several different definitions for drones, so the numbers may vary, but Business Insider Intelligence projects drone sales of more than USD 12 billion in 2021 for military, personal and commercial use.

Commercial applications for drones are especially on the rise with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 percent from 2015 to 2020, and The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International estimates commercial drones will be worth USD 82 billion by 2025.

New ways of incorporating drones into the workforce are popping up everywhere, such as for marketing, expedient delivery and information gathering. In heavy industries like steel manufacturing, drones are playing an increasingly important role in workplace safety. When paired with AI, drones have even more possibilities for minimizing workplace hazards.

Accident Prevention

An accident in a heavy industry worksite can be disastrous for workers, the company as well as the environment. That’s why it’s important for factories to be able to monitor and prevent potential dangers before they happen, and it’s one of the most widely applied areas for drones.

Audi’s factory uses drones for automated parts transportation. (Source: Audi)

For example, steelmaker POSCO is incorporating drones into its smart factory to monitor gas leaks that are hard to detect. Workers also wear smart sensors that alert them of potential danger, and let others know their location in the factory.

SEE ALSO: How Factories Produce Steel – the Smart Way

Keeping Humans Out of Dangerous Industrial Areas

Besides monitoring the workplace, drones can be of practical use and take on dangerous and costly tasks formerly done by people. This includes accessing dangerous places. For example, drones can take aerial job site survey photos, eliminating the need for a pilot, helicopter and other employees. Construction companies are using drone mapping to create 3D models of their projects, saving time and resources along the way.

Drones can keep workers out of dangerous workplaces. (Source: Fortune)

The mining industry also uses drones to enter hazardous areas to gather information before sending in workers. Smart drones, or drones equipped with AI software, can provide and process information in real time, saving companies major costs.  

Accident Investigation

Even with drones, not all accidents are preventable. Once an accident occurs it’s vital to have accurate data that tells exactly how the event played out. Drones are a useful forensic tool to recall events and diagnose the situation. With this information, companies can not only fix equipment and operational failures, they can use the data for legal matters regarding insurance claims, court fees and compensation litigation.

Workers can use drones to access stored information. (Source: The Economist)

Due to the increasing adoption of drones in the workplace and the vital role they play in worker safety, the commercial drone market is looking to expand. With increased investment, drones are being upgraded from its structure to the software that goes in them.

What Drones are Made of

Drones are largely composed of a frame, motor, camera, propeller, sensor, controller and battery. The frame serves as the base of the drone to which various parts mounted. Therefore, the frame of the drone has to be light yet durable, in order to maintain its structural integrity and minimize battery consumption.

Most drones are powered by an electric battery. On longer flights and in harsh weather conditions, the motor gets overworked, putting a toll on the battery. Engineers are constantly working to improve the capacity of the battery, which usually results in a bigger, heavier battery pack.

The DJI Phantom 4 is an example of a drone with a magnesium body for weight reduction and added strength. (Source: Petapixel)

In order to make up for the added weight and volume, manufacturers are turning to light and strong materials such as magnesium, the lightest commercial metal available. Magnesium alloys are lighter than aluminum alloys and are widely used in smartphones, tablet PCs and automotive and aircraft parts. Magnesium alloys have high thermal conductivity and excellent heat dissipation. It also has high strength and durability against impact. Moreover, it is corrosion-resistant and cost-effective, making it an ideal material for drones.

The market for drones will be an exciting one to watch going into 2018 due to friendlier regulations, significant investments and drones’ unlimited potential for application. It will result in more industries actively incorporating drones into their operations, and the world can expect the launch of more technologically and structurally innovative drones that will play an increasingly vital role in workplaces.

Cover photo courtesy of Wired.

Below we take a closer look at POSCO’s recent developments in lithium extraction and rechargeable battery production. Technological innovations have helped POSCO emerge as a leader in the industry as it seeks to make each step of the process more sustainable, more affordable, and less wasteful.

POSCO Innovates Lithium Extraction and Production

Over 94% of the global lithium supply comes from just three places: South America (44%), Australia (36%), and China (14%). This is because most lithium is found in naturally occurring brines at high altitudes and with little rainfall. Brines are underground reservoirs of dissolved salts containing elements such as lithium, potassium, and sodium.

To extract lithium from these brines, the salt water must be pumped to the surface into evaporation pools. Once on the surface, the brine is concentrated through solar evaporation techniques and then processed to remove impurities and separate the lithium – a process which can take anywhere from 12-18 months.

The Pozuelos Salt Lake in Argentina are one of the few places in the world where lithium can be extracted from brine.

Lithium can also be extracted from hard rock like spodumene. This process is much faster than extraction from brine; however, it is also much more expensive (up to double the cost) and requires a wide range of hydrometallurgical processes.

Realizing the potential growth of the lithium market, POSCO began to develop new extraction technologies in 2010. This new chemically-based lithium extraction technology is able to reduce extraction time while also improving efficiency and reliance on overseas imports. The first pilot program began in 2013, and in February of this year, POSCO became the world’s first corporation to commercialize chemically-based lithium extraction technology.

[clickToTweet tweet=”POSCO’s advancements in lithium extraction make it more sustainable and less time intensive.” quote=”POSCO’s advancements in lithium extraction make it more sustainable and less time intensive.” theme=”style6″]

While traditional lithium extraction takes anywhere from 12-18 months, POSCO’s new method shortens the time frame to anywhere from eight hours to one month while also offering a purity rate of 99.9% and increasing the lithium recovery rate to over 80%. Also, typical brine extraction by evaporation is a resource heavy process, and POSCO’s advancements help to make it a much more sustainable venture, using less water and resources.   

Finding Alternative Sources of Lithium

The electric car industry is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. By 2040 it is expected that electric vehicles (EV) will have up to 47% penetration with consumers. EVs powered by rechargeable batteries will put an added burden on the already stretched lithium supply. Therefore, efforts to expand lithium sources are under way in order to meet the growing demand.

Today, brine and spodumene are most often used and there have been efforts to process lithium from clays. While that process has not yet been commercialized, last month Lithium Australia successfully extracted 94% to 99% lithium from clay deposits in Mexico.

POSCO CEO Kwon Ohjoon holds lithium on his visit to PosLX, POSCO’s new factory that is expected to produce enough lithium for 70 million laptop batteries.

Also, earlier this year POSCO opened its PosLX plant, which is expected to produce 2,500 tons of lithium carbonate per year. That amount is enough to manufacture about 70 million laptop batteries. What is unique about PosLX is that they are currently obtaining their lithium phosphate, a raw material of lithium carbonate, by extracting it from wasted rechargeable batteries. In extending the life cycle of these dead batteries, POSCO is helping to make an already sustainable energy source even more eco-friendly.

More Sustainable Battery Production

In addition to POSCO’s endeavors to find more sustainable ways to produce lithium, they are also becoming directly involved in battery production. In April of this year, POSCO CEO Kwon Ohjoon announced plans to build a smart factory that would be capable of producing anode materials for rechargeable batteries.

[clickToTweet tweet=”“We will build a smart factory to produce the world’s best anode materials and secure future competitiveness in the battery material business.” – Kwon Ohjoon, POSCO CEO” quote=”“We will build a smart factory to produce the world’s best anode materials and secure future competitiveness in the battery material business.” – Kwon Ohjoon, POSCO CEO” theme=”style6″]

POSCO Chemtech has already expanded its production capacity to 6,000 tons per year, but with the newly announced plant, it will have the capacity to produce 30,000 tons per year with over KRW 200 billion in sales. Also, since the beginning of this year, POSCO has been mass-producing PG-NCM (POSCO Gradient Nickel Cobalt Manganese), the high-capacity cathode material for low-speed electric vehicles.

From smartphones to cars, the future will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, and as more and more industries come to rely on these rechargeable batteries, advancements in lithium production are crucial in order to keep greener forms of energy available and affordable. With new developments in this area, POSCO is already leading in both lithium production and tech innovation, and well-positioned to be a global leader in more sustainable development.  

*Cover image courtesy of the World Steel Association

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POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon visits the POSCO Chemtech anode material factory and is seen examining the cathode plate coating used in secondary batteries.

“The demand for mid to large-sized secondary cell batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESSs) is rapidly growing,” CEO Kwon said. “We will build a smart factory to produce the world’s best anode materials and secure future competitiveness in the battery material business.”

Kwon observes the anode reheating process of the production line completed last July.

POSCO Chemtech has expanded its production capacity to 6,000 tons per year through technological development and investment, but with the newly announced plant, it will have the capacity to produce 30,000 tons per year with over KRW 200 billion in sales.

Kwon has been working with POSCO Daewoo and POSCO E&C in order to increase the competitiveness of the group’s non-steel division and has also been involved with the “Innovation POSCO Project”, an initiative aimed to enhance affiliates’ competitiveness.

Kwon and other POSCO executives learn about the current status of anode materials production at POSCO Chemtech.

POSCO also supplies cathode materials for secondary cell batteries through its affiliate, POSCO ESM. In February, POSCO completed construction of PosLX, its lithium production plant, which produces lithium carbonate from lithium phosphate extracted from wasted rechargeable batteries.

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