<2026> Current Status and Long-Term Outlook of Conductive Additives for Lithium-ion Secondary Batteries (~2035)
As the global lithium-ion secondary battery
market continues to expand, demand is increasing not only for high energy
density and high power, but also for secondary batteries capable of fast
charging. In a rapidly growing lithium-ion battery market, success is expected
to hinge on the enhancement of conductive additive properties and the
optimization of conductive additive loading ratios.
The lithium-ion battery industry is
conducting R&D in a direction that minimizes the amount of conductive
additives used in cathode and anode materials while optimizing electrical
conductivity. Accordingly, conductive additive manufacturers are pursuing
research and development to improve electrical conductivity, processability,
purity, and thermal conductivity.
Recently, within the conductive additive
industry, the potential use of CNT materials as substitutes for carbon black
has been increasing, leading to a growing importance of pre-dispersion
technologies. As customer demand rises for products with superior
dispersibility achieved through high-performance dispersion equipment and
dispersants, the development of dispersion technologies and the emergence of
specialized companies are accelerating.
This report examines the types,
characteristics, and development directions of conductive additives, and
presents market outlooks by application and by conductive additive type, along
with trends among major conductive additive manufacturers, thereby providing
insight into how the lithium-ion secondary battery landscape is likely to
evolve.
Chapter 1 describes the types,
manufacturing methods, and usage levels of conductive additives.
Chapter 2 covers the required
characteristics and development trends of lithium-ion secondary batteries.
Chapter 3 examines product-specific
characteristics of conductive additives and trends in dispersion technology
development, including the theoretical background of dispersion and case
studies of actual companies. It also reflects the growth of MW and SW CNT
conductive additives in response to silicon-added anodes and fast-charging
requirements.
Chapter 4 presents demand, price, and
capacity outlooks by application and by conductive additive type through 2035.
Chapters 5 to 7 introduce the current
status of approximately 40 major conductive additive suppliers, expanding the
supplier pool by conductive additive type.
Lithium-ion secondary batteries, electric
vehicles, and ESS markets represent new growth engines with clearly secured
future growth. We hope that SNE Research’s findings on conductive additive
development trends and market outlooks will provide useful insights to battery
manufacturers, related material suppliers, and customers using secondary
batteries.
Contents
1. Conductive Additives Overview
1.1 Types of Conductive Additives
1.2 Required Properties of Conductive
Additives
1.3 Electrical Conductivity
Characteristics and Percolation Curve
1.4 Key Performance Indicators of
Conductive Additives
1.5 Manufacturing Methods of Conductive
Additives
1.5.1 Carbon Black Manufacturing
Method
1.5.2 Acetylene Black Manufacturing
Method
1.5.3 Carbon Nanotube Manufacturing
Method
1.6 Usage Volume of Conductive Additives
2. Lithium-Ion Battery Technology
Development Trends
2.1 Required Performance of Lithium-Ion
Batteries
2.2 Development Trends of Lithium-Ion
Batteries
3. Conductive Additive Technology
Development Trends
3.1 Development Directions of Conductive
Additive Technology
Recent Development Trends / By Type /
High-Conductivity Network Design
Percolation Threshold Reduction Design
Uniform Dispersion Control in Slurry
Intrinsic Properties of SWCNT and
High-Efficiency Conductive Networks
Mechanical Stabilization of Si-Based
Anodes Using SWCNT
SWCNT-Based Slurry-Free and
Binder-Free Technologies
Role and Characteristics of Conductive
Binders
CBD Microstructure Control and
Electrode Performance Optimization
Ultra-High-Conductivity Planar–Point
Network Construction Using MXene, Si Anodes
Application of Graphene as a Cathode
Conductive Additive
Graphene Conductive Additives for
High-Rate Performance Improvement of LFP Cathodes
3.2 Characteristics by Conductive
Additive Product
Carbon Black / MWCNT / SWCNT
3.3 Dispersion Issues of Conductive
Additives
3.4 Dispersion Methods of Conductive
Additives
3.5 Dispersants for Conductive Additive
Dispersion
4. Conductive Additive Market Outlook
(2020–2035)
4.1 Global LIB Demand Outlook by
Application (EV / ESS / CE)
4.2 Conductive Additive Chemistry and
Development Trends by Application
4.3 Demand Outlook by Conductive
Additive Chemistry (By Weight)
4.4 Market Size Outlook by Conductive
Additive Chemistry (By Value)
4.5 Cathode Conductive Additive Demand
Outlook (By Weight)
4.6 Cathode Conductive Additive Market
Outlook (By Value)
4.7 Anode Conductive Additive Demand
Outlook (By Weight)
4.8 Anode Conductive Additive Market
Outlook (By Value)
4.9 Comparison of Cathode vs. Anode
Conductive Additive Demand and Market Outlook
4.10 Conductive Additive Price Outlook
4.11 Major SCM of Conductive Additives
4.12 Production Capacity Outlook by
Conductive Additive Supplier
4.13 Market Share by Conductive Additive
Supplier
5. Carbon Black and Other Conductive
Additive Manufacturer Trends
5.0 Overview of Carbon Black
Manufacturer Trends
5.1 DENKA (JP)
5.2 Imerys Graphite & Carbon (FR)
5.3 CABOT (US)
5.4 Lion (JP)
5.5 Soltex (US)
5.6 Orion S.A. (DE)
5.7 Jiyue New Materials (CN)
5.8 Haiyi (CN)
5.9 Black Cat (CN)
5.10 Nanomaterials (KR)
5.11 Jaewon Industrial (KR)
5.12 Toyo Ink (JP)
5.13 Mikuni Color (JP)
5.14 Huijing (CN)
6. MWCNT Conductive Additive
Manufacturer Trends
6.0 Overview of MWCNT Manufacturer
Trends
6.1 LG Chem (KR)
6.2 Cnano (CN)
6.3 Dazhan (CN)
6.4 Cabot-SUSN (US–CN)
6.5 Timesnano (CN)
6.6 DH Nano (CN)
6.7 JEIO (KR)
6.8 Faymo (CN)
6.9 Resonac (JP)
6.10 Jinbai Nano (CN)
6.11 Nanocyl (BE)
6.12 Arkema (FR)
6.13 Kumho Petrochemical (KR)
6.14 EN Plus (KR)
6.15 Dowstone (CN)
6.16 Daejin Advanced Materials (KR)
7. SWCNT Conductive Additive
Manufacturer Trends
7.0 Overview of SWCNT Manufacturer
Trends
7.1 OCSiAl (LU)
7.2 KORBON (KR)
7.3 Timesnano (CN)
7.4 Faymo (CN)
7.5 JEIO (KR)
7.6 Nano-C (US)
7.7 CHASM Advanced Materials (US)
7.8 Meijo Nanocarbon (JP)
7.9 EASTCHEM (CN)