[Featured Stock] Aekyung Chemical Achieves New Milestone with Successive Commercialization of Secondary Battery Alternative Materials

Aekyung Chemical has reached a new all-time high. Expectations for growth in the secondary battery materials sector appear to be influencing the stock price. The company is gradually standing out in the market by continuously developing products that improve the shortcomings of existing secondary battery materials and enhance efficiency. Aekyung Chemical was launched in 2021 by integrating three companies: Aekyung Yuha, Aekyung Chemical, and AK Chemtech. While continuously expanding its core businesses such as plasticizers and synthetic resins, which play essential roles in the plastic processing process, it is expanding its business into the electric vehicle materials sector.

At 10:32 a.m. on the 14th, Aekyung Chemical was trading at 22,250 KRW, up 16.92% from the previous day. During the session, it rose to 22,700 KRW, setting a new all-time high again.

Graphite anodes, mainly used in secondary batteries, have the advantages of low cost and stable crystal structure, but their energy storage capacity limitations are considered drawbacks. Aekyung Chemical developed silicon anodes by adding silicon to graphite to increase charging speed and capacity, and succeeded in commercializing secondary batteries containing about 5% silicon anodes. According to overseas market research firms, silicon anodes are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 70% until 2025, increasing their share of the total anode market demand to 11%. However, it is pointed out that as the silicon content increases in silicon anodes, the battery may expand during charging and discharging, shortening its lifespan.

Aekyung Chemical developed technology to solve the storage capacity problem of graphite anodes. It succeeded in developing a "high-capacity silicon-based anode binder."

Through performance tests, it was confirmed that even if the volume of the silicon-based anode changes during charging and discharging, the adhesion between components and the initial electrode structure are effectively maintained. It is expected that the battery cycle life will be extended. Domestic and international patent registrations have been completed. Application tests are underway not only domestically but also with overseas companies in Vietnam and China.

Aekyung Chemical also developed modified urethane and isocyanate curing agents that enhance impact resistance and vibration resistance by compensating for the shortcomings of silicon-type thermal conductive adhesives. The products developed by Aekyung Chemical are materials that possess both thermal conductivity and adhesion, with higher adhesion and superior mechanical strength compared to existing silicon types.

Thermal conductive adhesives are core materials that stably maintain secondary battery performance by releasing heat generated during charging and discharging to prevent overheating.

Since developing and starting mass production of hard carbon-based anode manufacturing technology for the first time in Korea in 2010, Aekyung Chemical has been dedicated to the business. Hard carbon anodes are materials focused on high output. Aekyung Chemical’s products have recently demonstrated performance suitable for eco-friendly vehicles such as electric and hybrid cars by adding structural stability. Recently, they have gained new attention in the market, fueled by the commercialization trend of Sodium Ion Batteries (SIB) using sodium as the cathode material.