ENPlus Supplies Complete Electric Vehicle Batteries with Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] ENPlus has succeeded in developing a composite conductive material combining graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNT), a next-generation secondary battery core material, last April, and has now succeeded in producing graphene battery finished products, starting full-scale sales.

ENPlus announced on the 9th that it has received quality verification and performance recognition for the 'graphene-CNT composite conductive material' from overseas electric vehicle (EV) companies, and since last month, it has started selling finished products with a significantly increased supply scale beyond sample sales.

The 'graphene-CNT composite conductive material' developed by ENPlus is a 'sludge' type material in which carbon is dispersed in a solvent, serving as a material that facilitates the flow of electricity and electrons between the cathode and anode of secondary batteries. This material has been evaluated by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology as having more than three times superior powder resistance compared to products using conventional conductive carbon materials.

An ENPlus official stated, "Due to confidentiality agreements with customers, we cannot disclose specific customer information or contract details," adding, "The contract is meaningful in that it goes beyond simply selling graphene and CNT conductive materials to supplying finished products that meet customer specifications."

He continued, "Not only the high-performance conductive materials but also the cathode and anode plates were directly designed and produced, which externally validates our technological capabilities related to secondary batteries."

The official also emphasized, "Typically, it takes more than three years for sales to become full-scale after developing secondary battery materials. ENPlus took about one year for material selection, development, and finished product production of secondary batteries through a one-stop development process."

Once mass production of the conductive material solution begins, it can produce about 2,500 tons annually, with an annual sales scale reaching 60 billion KRW. Marking the development and production of secondary battery finished products as a turning point, ENPlus will continuously develop finished products called 'Full Cell.' The company explained that it plans to strengthen its business by applying various solutions such as conductive materials and electrodes.

Graphene batteries applying conductive materials combining graphene and CNT are evaluated to have excellent heat dissipation effects and flexibility. According to internal evaluations, the temperature during charging and discharging dropped by 3.4 degrees Celsius (a 12% improvement), and the heat diffusion effect also improved by 20%. It is expected to improve thermal runaway phenomena and extend battery life.