[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] SK Nexilis, an SKC subsidiary investing in copper foil manufacturing, has once again been recognized for its outstanding technology by winning the President’s Award, the highest honor of the 2019 IR52 Jang Young-shil Award.
On the 10th, SK Nexilis received the President’s Award, the top prize, at the ‘2019 Best IR52 Jang Young-shil Award Ceremony’ hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The IR52 Jang Young-shil Award, the most prestigious technology award in Korea, honors one product each week for 52 weeks annually, and among these, the most outstanding product is awarded the President’s Award. SK Nexilis, which received the IR52 Jang Young-shil Award in the 14th week last April for its ‘high-capacity lithium secondary battery copper foil,’ was recognized for its top-tier technology by winning the President’s Award this time.
SK Nexilis developed copper foil that dramatically enhances battery performance. When a battery is repeatedly charged, the cathode and anode contract and expand repeatedly, causing deformation or breakage that degrades performance. To prevent performance deterioration, the physical properties of the copper foil, a core material used in the anode, must be excellent.
SK Nexilis increased the elongation rate of copper foil by more than twice to flexibly withstand continuous contraction and expansion. The tensile strength was also improved by about 1.7 times, addressing chronic issues such as wrinkles or folds that occur during battery manufacturing processes. To achieve this, various conditions including the composition of the plating solution, types of additives, and plating temperature were optimized based on world-class technical know-how.
Based on this technology, SK Nexilis succeeded in mass-producing the world’s thinnest 4㎛ (1㎛ is one-millionth of a meter) copper foil in a 1.4m wide format with the world’s longest length of 30km in October last year. The thinner the copper foil, the more active material can be packed into the limited battery space, which is advantageous for high capacity and lightweight batteries. Additionally, the longer and wider the foil, the easier it is to cut to the size desired by customers, improving productivity.
An SK Nexilis official said, “Winning the IR52 Jang Young-shil Award’s top prize is the result of SK Nexilis’ relentless research and development for producing high-quality copper foil,” adding, “Going forward, SK Nexilis will leverage its advanced technology to expand investments and establish itself as the global No.1 copper foil manufacturer.”
Established in 1991, the IR52 Jang Young-shil Award is Korea’s most prestigious technology award hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and organized by the Korea Industrial Technology Association and Maeil Business Newspaper. Its goal is to discover research achievements of domestic companies and research institutes, promote a culture of continuous technological development, and boost the morale of researchers and developers.
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