Posco Future M said Thursday it has partnered with US cleantech startup Molten Industries to develop natural graphite anode materials using raw materials not derived from mining.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on March 11 in Seoul, attended by Hong Young-jun, head of Posco Future M’s Technology Research Laboratory, as well as Molten Industries CEO Kevin Bush and CTO Caleb Boyd.
Under the agreement, Posco Future M will combine its anode material technologies with Molten’s methane pyrolysis process to strengthen its supply chain.
Molten will produce graphite from methane, which offers higher purity than mined graphite. Posco Future M will then process the material into spherical graphite through its subsidiary Futuregraph, before producing final anode materials at its Sejong plant.
The companies expect the process to lower production costs while reducing reliance on mined graphite.
The methane pyrolysis process also generates hydrogen as a byproduct, which can be used for power generation or in Posco’s hydrogen-based steelmaking, creating potential synergies across the group.
“We have relied on mined graphite, but will now work to secure alternative raw materials by combining both companies’ technologies,” Hong said. “This will help diversify our supply chain and strengthen our competitiveness in the global market.”
stlee0329@heraldcorp.com
