POSCO Future M said on Tuesday it has secured mass production technology for silicon anode materials and is pursuing commercial supply in 2028. The silicon anode material it developed can store more than four times the energy of graphite-based anode materials. It also said it has addressed, with its own technology, the biggest challenge to commercialisation: volume expansion during charging and discharging.

Silicon anode materials have higher energy density and faster charging than existing graphite-based anode materials. Demand is expected to expand rapidly, centred on high-performance, high-output batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and robotics. In batteries, they are typically applied by mixing them with graphite-based anode materials.

POSCO Future M said it confirmed performance that maintained more than 80 percent of initial capacity even after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles under conditions where the mixing ratio of silicon anode material was raised to more than 20 percent. Compared with existing batteries where the mixing ratio remained in single digits, it has both high capacity and the capability to maintain long-term performance, it said.

Volume expansion during charging and discharging has been cited as a key challenge to commercialising silicon anode materials. POSCO Future M's Technology Research Institute eased the problem by applying its own silicon nanonisation technology and carbon composite technology.

Hong Young-joon (홍영준), head of the Technology Research Institute, said, "Silicon anode materials are a next-generation core material that will determine battery performance." He added, "Based on accumulated materials technology and mass production experience, we will provide customers with the best solutions while continuing to expand global market competitiveness."