[Featured Stock] ChemTros Localizes Core Materials for Hydrogen Vehicles... Shoulder to Shoulder with DuPont and AGC

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Kemtros is showing strong performance. The news that it has acquired the manufacturing process technology for a key material used in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and is promoting localization appears to have influenced its stock price.

As of 10:21 AM on the 16th, Kemtros was trading at 7,050 KRW, up 14.63% (900 KRW) compared to the previous trading day.

The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology signed a technology transfer agreement with Kemtros on the 16th to localize perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (PFSA).

PFSA is a polymer composed entirely of fluorocarbons and serves as a material that transports hydrogen ions. It is mainly used in hydrogen vehicles, energy storage devices, distributed power sources, and electrolyzers.

Technically, the electrolyte membrane that allows hydrogen ions to pass through and react with oxygen inside the fuel cell is crucial. The PFSA manufacturing process, which is the electrolyte membrane, is a technology that integrates all fluorochemical technologies. Due to various variables such as moisture, temperature, and explosiveness, and because the manufacturing process is complicated and lengthy, only a few global companies such as DuPont, AGC, and Solvay have been able to produce it.

The National Research Laboratory for Fluorochemical Material Processes at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology developed PFSA synthesis technology for the first time in Korea in 2018 based on over 30 years of research on fluorine compounds and created a production process for commercialization.

The research team optimized a total of nine manufacturing process steps necessary for the commercialization of PFSA and transferred the technology to Kemtros. Kemtros is aiming to start production in the first half of next year and is promoting the design and construction of a commercial production plant with an annual capacity of 100 tons, as well as long-term stability evaluation of prototypes.

Dr. Injun Park, the lead researcher, said, “The PFSA manufacturing process has a high entry barrier and was only possessed by some advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, and Belgium, but we developed it with domestic technology. We will conduct follow-up research with companies to ensure successful commercialization going forward.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.