Lithium Ion Battery Electrolyte Technology Trend and Market Forecast(~2025)
Recently, the secondary battery market is expanding into the ESS and EV markets, from the application market for small ITs. Japanese companies, such as Panasonic, SONY, etc., which have developed rechargeable batteries and pioneered the industry, are being pushed out of the market competition with Samsung SDI and LG Chemical, and emerging companies in China, such as ATL, BYD, LISHEN, BAK, and so on. Chinese companies are expanding their market share (M/S), utilizing support from the Chinese government and unlimited domestic market as their stepping stone. For the time being, the "3-Nation Structure of Secondary Battery" of Korea, China, and Japan are expected to continue, and the US and Germany are also continuously showing their interest in manufacturing and materials markets of high-capacity secondary batteries, according to the expansion of the EV market.
When it comes to the composition of electrolyte, it consists of Solvents, Lithium salts, and Additives. Due to its characteristics, electrolytes should be developed, jointly with Li-Ion secondary battery manufacturers. In the case of IT-type small products, it will shortly take a development period of 3-4 months, and for the electrolyte for xEV, the development and evaluation should be conducted for over one year. In order to develop various products with customers and cope with them, excellent R&D capability will be required.
The global electrolyte market has been dominated by Japan and South Korea, but with the recent rapid growth of Chinese companies, competition with Chinese companies is also inevitable. Panax e-tec, Soulbrain, etc., which are mass-producing and supplying electrolytes in Korea, could have grown as electrolyte suppliers, accompanied by Samsung SDI - a major Li-ion secondary battery company. In Japan, Mitsubishi Chemical is keeping its world's largest market share by diversifying the customers' portfolios to produce IT small batteries and xEV mid- and large-sized batteries. In Chinese makers, Kaixin, Guotai, Capchem, ShanShan, etc. are expanding their M/S.
Lithium salts (LiPF6), a major component of electrolyte, are supplied, up to about 80%, by Japanese 3 companies, and Korean Foosung is mass-producing and supplying Lithium salts (LiPF6), as the only company in Korea. Additives are added during the process of producing electrolytes, in order to improve the lifetime and stability of the Li-Ion secondary batteries, by performing activities, such as formation of SEI protective films, addition of overcharge inhibitor, and improvement of conduction property. Japanese companies are occupying most part of the additive market and in Korea, the companies, like Leechem, SK Chemicals, and so on, are supplying it.
The electrolyte is one of the four core materials which are composed of the secondary battery. The proportion of the material cost in the manufacturing cost constitution corresponds to the order of cathode > separator > anode > electrolyte. In order to increase the capacity per unit cell of secondary battery manufacturers, they have the tendency of increasing the input of materials, including cathode materials and anode materials, relatively reducing the electrolyte input. However, from 2018 to 2030, the battery market is expected to grow at the CAGR of about 28% (based on capacity). Thereby, the electrolyte market is also expected to grow.
As in the xEV/ESS high-capacity secondary batteries, the amount of electrolyte used may be increased by 200-4,000 times based on a unit cell, compared to that for IT, securing stability is in particular being raised as an important issue. Other than liquid electrolytes and gel polymer electrolytes (polymers), which have currently been commercialized, the steady R&D is being conducted to develop solid polymer electrolytes that have superior stability at high temperatures.
Chapter Ⅰ. Electrolyte Outline
1.1. Understanding of electrolyte
1.2 Development trends and major issues of electrolyte
Chapter Ⅱ. Development Trend of Liquid Electrolyte
2.1 Composition of liquid electrolyte
2.2 Characteristics of liquid electrolyte
2.3 Flame retardant material
Chapter Ⅲ. Polymer electrolyte
3.1 Types of Polymer Electrolytes
3.2 Characteristics of Polymer Electrolytes
3.3 Manufacturing method of polymer electrolyte
Chapter Ⅳ. Solid electrolyte
4.1 Necessity for development of solid electrolyte
4.2 Development trend of solid electrolyte
Chapter Ⅴ. Latest Development Trend of Electrolyte
5.1 High voltage electrolyte solvent
5.2 Lithium salt
5.3 Additive
5.4 Polymer electrolyte
Chapter Ⅵ. Electrolyte Solvent
6.1 Cyclic Carbonate
6.2 Linear Carbonate
6.3 Gas Generation Mechanism by Additive for Forming the Protective Film on the Electrode Surface
Chapter Ⅶ. Electrolyte Additive
7.1 Electrolyte Additive
7.2 Electrolyte Additives to Improve Output Characteristics
7.3 Electrolyte Using LiFSI Salt
7.4 Flame retardant additives to improve thermal stability
7.5 Additives for Interfacial Stabilization of High Capacity Anode
Chapter Ⅷ. Electrolyte Market Trend and Outlook
8.1 Electrolyte Demand by Country
8.2 Electrolyte Demand by Material
8.3 Electrolyte Market by Supplier
8.4 Electrolyte Demand by LIB Company
SDI/LGC/Panasonic/Sony/AESC/Hitachi Maxell/ATL/BYD/Lishen/Coslight
8.5 Electrolyte Production Capacity
8.6 Demand Forecast by Material
Chapter Ⅸ. Demand Forecast by Material
9.1 Korean Electrolyte Company
Panax Etec/Soulbrain/Enchem
9.2 Japanese Electrolyte Company
Mitsubishi/Ube/Central glass
9.3 Chinese Electrolyte Company
Capchem/Guotai Huarong/Shanshan/Tinci