SKC to Showcase Innovations in Battery, Semiconductor, and Eco-friendly Materials at CES

SK Group's 8 Affiliates Jointly Operated Exhibition Hall 'Haengdong'
Unveils Innovative Products of 'Global ESG Material Solution Company'

Copper foil product manufactured by SK Nexilis. Photo by SKC

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] SKC announced on the 25th that it will unveil innovative products at the world's largest industrial exhibition, 'CES (International Consumer Electronics Show) 2023,' held in Las Vegas, USA, from the 5th to the 8th of next month (local time).

SKC plans to showcase a large number of products that demonstrate its direction of innovation as a 'global ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) materials solution company.' Through this, it is expected that visitors will get a preview of the innovations to come in the secondary battery, semiconductor, and eco-friendly materials industries.

At the SK exhibition hall, jointly operated with seven SK Group affiliates including SK Inc., SKC will present high-performance computing semiconductor glass substrates, copper foil for secondary batteries, silicon anode materials, plastic recycling solutions, and eco-friendly alternative plastic materials such as PBAT and Rymex. The SK exhibition hall, themed 'Action (Together, Further, Towards a Carbon-Free Future),' is located at the center of the Central Hall, the main building of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).

The semiconductor glass substrate, which will be unveiled to the public for the first time in physical form, will be displayed in the 'Green Digital Solutions' section within the SK exhibition hall. SKC, through its investee Absolics, began construction of a mass production plant last month and is pursuing the world's first commercialization. This future-oriented material is considered a 'game changer' in semiconductor packaging by significantly improving data processing speed and power efficiency. Visitors can visually confirm features such as a thickness only one-quarter that of existing plastic substrates and a smooth surface capable of supporting packaging miniaturization.

The copper foil for secondary batteries, which attracted much attention when introduced at 'CES 2022' earlier this year, will be exhibited alongside silicon anode materials in the 'Eco-friendly Mobility' section. SK Nexilis, SKC's copper foil business investee, possesses super-gap technology capable of mass-producing the world's thinnest copper foil at 4 micrometers (4μm, 1/30 the thickness of a human hair), the widest (1.4m), and longest (77km) copper foil products. Additionally, through excellent recipe technology and smart factories, it produces products with 'customized properties' to meet diverse demands such as ultra-high-strength copper foil and high-elongation copper foil.

SK Nexilis copper foil products recently received the 'Product Carbon Footprint' certification from The Carbon Trust, a UK-based eco-certification organization. Recognized for carbon reduction efforts from raw materials to all manufacturing processes and waste treatment, the product's identity as an eco-friendly material has become even clearer alongside its super-gap technology.

The silicon anode material, scheduled for mass production plant construction next year, will also be displayed in physical form. Silicon anode material significantly enhances battery performance by increasing charging speed and driving range of secondary batteries. However, due to volume expansion issues during charging and discharging, market expansion is still in its early stages. SKC has secured exclusive business rights for new technology combining the advantages of various manufacturing methods by investing in the UK technology company Nexeon and has been enhancing market competitiveness through additional research and development. SKC plans to supply silicon anode material and high-elongation, high-strength copper foil together as a 'secondary battery anode solution' to the market.

SKC's eco-friendly materials, biodegradable PBAT and Rymex, will be showcased in the outdoor 'Food Truck Zone' applied in real use cases such as containers and forks used for sustainable foods invested by SK Group, and vouchers for food exchange. This allows visitors to directly experience the excellent usability of SKC's biodegradable materials. Additionally, SKC's plastic recycling solution, which converts plastic waste generated in daily life back into resources through pyrolysis, will be exhibited via video in the 'Waste Resource Recovery' section.

Na Yoon-ah, Vice President and Head of SKC SV Division, said, “At CES 2023, we will widely promote SKC’s new identity as a ‘global ESG materials solution company’ and our commitment to achieving ‘2040 greenhouse gas net zero’ through carbon reduction,” adding, “SKC will continuously discover new ESG materials businesses through steady technological development.”