Posco partners with Sila to develop battery materials

South Korean company Posco Future M has signed an MOU with US-based Sila for the joint development of advanced battery materials. 

Under the agreement, Posco Future M plans to push advanced battery material technology further by combining the company’s cathode and anode material capabilities with Sila’s silicon anode material technology, Posco said in a media release.

By leveraging carbon nanomaterial technology, the two companies expect to address a drawback of silicon anode material: the volumetric expansion that occurs during charge-discharge cycles. This approach is anticipated to prevent structural deformation and extend battery life. 

The companies also agreed to explore the use of Posco Future M’s carbon material technology to improve the cost competitiveness of silicon anode material, the media release said.  

“The two companies have agreed to combine their world-class technology leadership to develop advanced battery materials,” Young-jun Hong, Head of the Posco Future M Research Institute, said. “We will continue to extend the partnership beyond technology development to the supply chain level.”

Sila is a battery materials company headquartered in California that holds proprietary technology for high-performance silicon anode materials.