POSCO Future M Signs Agreement with Sila for Joint Development of Advanced Battery Materials Technology

Cooperation in the Field of Advanced Battery Materials

POSCO Future M announced on March 12 that it has signed a business agreement with Sila, a U.S.-based company, for the joint development of advanced battery materials.

On March 11, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the field of advanced battery materials at COEX in Seoul, with Youngjun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Technology Research Institute, and Gleb Yushin, Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Sila, as well as executives and staff in attendance.

On the 11th, Hong Youngjun, Head of the Technology Research Institute at POSCO Future M (left), and Gleap Yushin Silla, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in the field of advanced battery materials. POSCO Future M

Through this MOU, POSCO Future M plans to further advance its technology in advanced battery materials by combining its own cathode and anode material technologies with Sila's silicon anode material technology.

Sila is a battery materials company headquartered in California, United States, and possesses high-performance silicon anode material technology. It collaborates with major automakers and battery manufacturers to improve electric vehicle driving range and reduce charging times, and operates a silicon anode material production plant in Moses Lake, Washington.

Silicon anode materials have up to 10 times greater energy storage capacity compared to conventional graphite-based anode materials, enabling increased driving range for electric vehicles and significantly reduced charging times. The two companies expect that by utilizing carbon nanomaterial technology, they can suppress the battery volume expansion that occurs during charging and discharging—a known weakness of silicon anodes—prevent structural deformation, and thereby greatly extend battery lifespan. In addition, they agreed to explore ways to enhance the cost competitiveness of the high-priced silicon anode by leveraging POSCO Future M's carbon materials technology.

Youngjun Hong, Head of the POSCO Future M Technology Research Institute, said, "Both companies have decided to combine their industry-leading technological expertise to develop advanced battery materials." He added, "We will continuously develop our partnership not only in technology development but also in terms of the supply chain."

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