Posco Future M announced Thursday a strategic partnership with Molten Industries, a US-based cleantech startup, to develop advanced natural graphite anode materials utilizing non-mined raw materials.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on March 11 in Seoul, with key representatives present, including Hong Young-jun, Head of Posco Future M’s R&D Center, and Kevin Bush, CEO, and Caleb Boyd, CTO, of Molten Industries.
This collaboration will see Posco Future M leveraging its cutting-edge anode material technologies in conjunction with Molten Industries’ innovative methane pyrolysis process, aiming to fortify its supply chain resilience.
Molten Industries will produce high-purity graphite through methane pyrolysis, surpassing the purity levels typically achieved with mined graphite. Posco Future M will then process this graphite into spherical graphite via its subsidiary, Futuregraph, ultimately producing final anode materials at its Sejong manufacturing plant.
Both companies anticipate this novel production method will result in lower production costs and significantly reduce dependence on traditionally mined graphite sources.
Furthermore, the methane pyrolysis process yields hydrogen as a valuable byproduct. This hydrogen can be utilized for power generation or integrated into Posco’s hydrogen-based steelmaking initiatives, potentially creating substantial synergistic benefits across the Posco group.
“While we have historically relied on mined graphite, this partnership allows us to secure alternative raw materials by integrating the unique technologies of both companies,” stated Hong Young-jun. “This strategic move will not only diversify our supply chain but also significantly strengthen our competitiveness within the global market for anode materials.”
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