Domestic Graphite Production Activated in Korea: Transforming Waste byproducts into Efficient Battery Anode Materials
In a significant breakthrough, a research team led by Dr. Yu-Jin Han and Dr. Sang-Hoon Park from the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has developed a technology to refine industrial graphite byproducts into high-purity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The research, funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), was published in the July 2025 issue of the Chemical Engineering Journal (Impact Factor 13.2).
The new technology addresses a critical issue, as Korea currently relies on China for over 90% of its graphite supply, creating risks of price surges and unstable availability. The team's impurity-removal method simplifies conventional steps and enables the production of graphite anodes with cost competitiveness on par with commercial materials, reducing production costs by about 60% compared to conventional methods.
Graphite, essential for lithium-ion battery anodes in electric vehicles, accounts for about 30% of cell weight and 10% of production cost. The team's new technology could potentially lower these costs and increase the self-sufficiency of the electric vehicle industry in Korea.
The graphite anodes produced with the developed technology achieved an initial coulombic efficiency of 92% and a discharge capacity of 362 milliampere-hours per gram (mAh/g), comparable to that of commercial graphite anodes. After 200 charge-discharge cycles, the anodes retained 98% of their initial capacity, demonstrating stability on par with commercial materials.
The research team's process includes surface impurity removal through ultrasonic treatment, internal metallic impurity removal, and structural restoration through pyrolytic carbon coating. The research was titled "Development of Recycling Technology for Anode Materials from Used Batteries through Sorting and Purification."
The team is pursuing follow-up studies to develop a next-generation process that eliminates the need for both heat treatment and acid treatment. Dr. Yu-Jin Han, the lead researcher, stated that the technology strengthens supply stability and builds a foundation for self-sufficiency.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese graphite used in anode materials last July heightened concerns about future supply stability. This Korean innovation could alleviate those concerns, offering a promising solution for the electric vehicle industry and beyond.
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