Mass Production of 'Dream Material' Graphene... World's First Achievement

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Domestic public research institutes and small and medium-sized enterprises are set to mass-produce graphene, known as the 'dream new material,' using Korean graphite and domestic technology for the first time in the world.

Graphene is a new material used in flexible display development, conductive materials, and electrodes in electric vehicle secondary batteries. If mass production is achieved within this year as planned, it is expected that South Korea will play a decisive role in securing leadership in the industrial graphene market.

The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology announced on the 18th that the research team led by Dr. Jaeuk Lee of the Chemical Process Research Division developed a 'next-generation electrochemical exfoliation process' and created a multi-electrode system applying this process, which has been transferred to LBZ Chemtech Co., Ltd.

Graphene, Mass Production Within the Year

A multi-electrode system applying the 'next-generation electrochemical delamination process' developed by the research team led by Dr. Lee Jae-wook at the Chemical Process Research Division of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology.

The multi-electrode system developed by the research team is a device that immerses several bundles arranged like a sandwich of 'metal electrode-graphite electrode-metal electrode' in an electrolyte solution tank. This device sends electricity through the graphite electrode to peel off graphene in very thin layers. The peeled graphene is separated from the solution through a filter at the bottom of the device and extracted in powder form. This device can produce high-quality graphene within an hour, which is among the fastest in the world. Additionally, the price per gram of graphene is relatively low at 1,000 KRW.

This system has made mass production of graphene possible. The research team transferred this technology to LBZ Chemtech. The parent company of LBZ Chemtech, LBZ Graphite Co., Ltd., has secured mining rights for domestic graphite mines and will begin full-scale graphite mining this year. They will supply high-quality graphite, which had been dependent on imports from China, to LBZ Chemtech in large quantities at a low price.

Targeting a $240 Billion Global Market in 2024

Senior Researcher Lee Je-wook (right) and Researcher Kwon Yeon-ju (left) at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology are holding graphene solution and powder produced by the multi-electrode system for a photo. The device behind the two researchers is the multi-electrode system applied with the next-generation electrochemical exfoliation process.

Dr. Jaeuk Lee explained, "In chemical synthesis processes, the quality of graphene, such as strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity, rapidly deteriorates due to strong acid treatment. Although reduction treatment is performed later, the quality does not fully recover to 100%."

The mass-produced graphene will first be applied to heat dissipation components in electronic products such as displays and smartphones, as well as conductive materials and electrodes in electric vehicle secondary batteries. According to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, the current global graphene market is estimated at $90 billion. It is expected to nearly triple to $240 billion by 2025.

Park Cheolyong, CEO of LBZ Chemtech Co., Ltd., said, "Our goal is to supply cheap, high-quality graphene to the market in large quantities and to fully open the door to graphene commercialization, which has not been realized in the past decade, by 2021."