World's First Mass Production Success of Single-Crystal Cluster Battery Material for Fast Charging

SM Lab, a faculty startup company at UNIST led by CEO Jaepil Jo, has attracted global attention by successfully mass-producing a high-capacity battery cathode material called ‘single-crystal cluster’ for fast charging.

According to the industry, the high-energy density 46-series cylindrical batteries, which battery manufacturers have been fiercely competing to develop recently, can only achieve the desired cell capacity with single-crystal cathode materials.

However, the currently used single-crystal cathode materials sized 4 to 5 micrometers (㎛) are known to have poor output characteristics, making it difficult to fully charge the battery to its theoretical capacity during fast charging.

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SM Lab developed a single-crystal ‘cluster’ cathode material that improves output characteristics while maintaining the excellent durability of conventional single-crystal cathode materials. This technology involves synthesizing multiple 2㎛ single-crystal particles and firmly bonding them together simultaneously using an additive.

When this cathode material was applied to battery cells, it was found that even when the charging time was reduced from 60 minutes to 15 minutes, more than 86% of the theoretical capacity was charged.

In contrast, general single-crystal materials showed a cell capacity retention rate of 70%. Additionally, the material exhibited excellent physical properties like a single-crystal particle during high-temperature rolling processes, making it resistant to breakage and demonstrating outstanding high-temperature durability as a single-crystal material.

SM Lab has completed mass production verification of this material and is currently supplying it as a 4695 size cylindrical battery material to Kumyang Co., Ltd.

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SM Lab introduced that it has been certified as a holder of national advanced strategic technology by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy with this technology.

CEO Jaepil Jo stated, “The certification as a holder of national advanced strategic technology has provided a significant driving force for strengthening the company’s technological development capabilities and business expansion,” adding, “Since the government has designated this as a key next-generation technology, we plan to manage core personnel and technology security capabilities at the highest level in cooperation with related organizations to prevent technology leakage.”

The national advanced strategic technology was concretized into 17 technologies, including three secondary battery technologies, under the ‘Special Measures Act on Strengthening and Protecting National Advanced Strategic Industry Competitiveness’ enacted in 2022, referring to technologies developed for mass production or used in mass production.

Following its first and second plants (annual production capacity of 10,800 tons), SM Lab is scheduled to begin construction of its third plant (30,000 tons/year) in the second quarter of 2024, accelerating its business expansion.

The company was founded in 2018 by Professor Jaepil Jo of the Department of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, a world-renowned expert in the battery field. In October last year, it secured Series D investment of 130 billion KRW, bringing its total accumulated investment to 239 billion KRW, and is preparing for a KOSDAQ listing within the year.

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