Lithium-ion battery drives the rapid development of chemical materials market

U.S. growth consulting firm Frost & Sullivan issued a research report in November that the electric vehicle market will grow steadily in the near future, and lithium-ion battery technology will replace nickel-metal hydride battery technology in hybrid and electric vehicles. The relevant chemical materials market will develop rapidly.

Environmental sustainability has now become a trend in the transportation industry. At present, electric vehicles are widely supported by policies in Europe, America, and some Asian countries. However, the safety of their battery systems has become a key factor for the public to accept electric vehicles. This is mainly due to the fact that the heat generated by the car can easily cause a chemical reaction in the battery to cause an explosion. Therefore, the development of superior thermal insulation materials and design of thermal management systems for electric vehicles is the key to the promotion of electric vehicles. Because of its high energy density, lithium-ion batteries are expected to replace nickel-metal hydride batteries in hybrid and electric vehicles in the future. Frost & Sullivan expects that the market for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles will grow rapidly from 2013 to 2015 as the price of lithium-ion batteries decreases and the basic industry develops.

Lithium-ion battery modules for electric vehicles mainly include cathode/anode active materials, laminates, electrolytes, separation layers, adhesives, etc. Among them, cathode active materials are the key to technological development. It is expected that the year of 2008 to 2016 for lithium-ion battery materials market of electric vehicles The average growth rate will reach 125%.

As a key component of a lithium-ion battery, the separation layer mainly serves to separate the anode and the cathode and maintain the ion conduction. Therefore, the porous thin and strong separation layer can improve the performance of the lithium ion battery. At present, the main materials of the separation layer are ceramics and polymers (including polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, etc.), and the production process of the separation layer is also wet and dry (without using solvent). Production process is more common in Asia. It is expected that the output of lithium ion separation layer will increase at an average annual rate of 129% from 2008 to 2016.

At present, the typical electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries is lithium salt LiPF6 dissolved in ethylene carbonate mixed solvent. LiPF6 is relatively cheap and conductive, but the HF produced by it will cause corrosion of the battery laminate. For this reason, people have developed alternatives such as LiFAP and LiBOB. Lithium-ion battery electrolytes and additives market mainly include: electrolyte solution, additives and solvents, lithium salt, active acid and lithium carbonate. It is estimated that from 2008 to 2016, the market output will increase at an average annual rate of 136%.

Lithium-ion battery anode active materials for electric vehicles are mainly graphite. Graphite is divided into natural graphite and synthetic graphite. Natural graphite is crystalline, amorphous, and scale-like. Synthetic graphite is of high purity and is mainly produced from coke and asphalt. It is an ideal material for making lithium batteries, but it is expensive.

Graphite as anode material forms lithium needle crystals, which helps to ensure the structural integrity of the battery. However, due to the poor energy storage of graphite, people began to develop non-carbon anode materials. Common non-carbon anode materials include silicon, tin, and titanates. It is expected that the output of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries will increase at an average annual rate of 134% from 2008 to 2016. In 2009, the major manufacturers of anode materials for lithium ion batteries were mostly graphite suppliers in Japan. In recent years, European, American and Chinese manufacturers have also stepped up their R&D efforts in this area and are expected to be called new market forces in the future.

Lithium-ion battery cathode active materials are the key components. Unlike anode materials, cathode materials currently employ a variety of technologies including lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA), lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NCM), lithium manganese spinel (LMO), and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and so on. Among them, lithium cobalt oxide is used relatively more, but its safety is low, and it cannot be used in batches for electric vehicles. It is estimated that the production of lithium-ion cathode materials for electric vehicles will increase at an average annual rate of 134% from 2008 to 2016. At present, the main manufacturers are Japan's Nichia and Belgium's Umicore, and other European and American manufacturers such as BASF and PhostechLithium in this respect. Development is also very rapid.

Lithium-ion battery other component material markets include electrode material adhesives, electrode containers, and lithium ion battery packaging laminates. The electrode container is mainly made of metal foil, which is mainly provided by a Japanese manufacturer; the electrode material adhesive requires high purity, corrosion resistance, and strong adhesion, and polyvinylidene fluoride is currently used more often.