The production of solid-state batteries typically requires more advanced and new-type materials. Currently, composite current collectors are being rapidly introduced into solid-state battery applications.
In June this year, Sunfu New Technology disclosed externally that it had signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a European semi-solid-state battery manufacturer. After the customer successfully establishes the first semi-solid-state high-safety battery production line, a formal supply contract for "5GWh semi-solid-state high-safety battery key materials" will be signed. It is reported that the key material is a composite copper foil current collector.
In addition, in May this year, Jiemei Technology announced that its holding subsidiary, Rouzhen Technology, had signed a "Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement" with a solid-state battery producer. The two parties reached a strategic cooperation agreement on jointly designing and developing "high-safety lightweight composite current collectors" and on Rouzhen Technology producing and supplying "high-safety lightweight composite current collector" products to meet the needs of the solid-state battery producer.
At present, the industrialisation process of solid-state batteries is accelerating. Numerous automakers and battery producers have announced their timetables for the installation and mass production of solid-state batteries, which will drive the growth in demand for the iterative upgrading of lithium battery material systems. Industry insiders point out that as a new innovative material, composite current collectors will also play a significant role in solid-state battery applications.
New-type composite materials
Compared with traditional copper foil and aluminum foil, new-type composite current collectors offer advantages such as lightweight and high safety. In recent years, their applications in the NEV and 3C sectors have rapidly expanded, becoming the focus of attention in the entire battery industry. Currently, many material enterprises have deployed composite current collectors and are gradually exerting efforts in the solid-state battery field.
"Composite current collectors have a sandwich structure of 'metal-polymer material-metal'. Compared with traditional current collector materials, lithium batteries manufactured with composite current collectors offer advantages such as low cost, high safety, long life, and high energy density," said the head of AMTech. The company's composite current collector products have gained market recognition and have become important suppliers to multiple domestic top-tier battery enterprises.
According to Jiayuan Technology, based on the pain points of solid-state batteries (compared to liquid batteries), such as small solid-solid interface contact area, large interface impedance, slow ion migration rate, inability to withstand high temperatures, inability to withstand corrosion, and insufficient lightweight properties, the company has developed a full technical matrix of new-type anode current collector products, including high-temperature-resistant, corrosion-resistant, high-specific-surface-area copper foil, microporous copper foil, and alloy copper foil, to meet the needs of different technical routes for solid-state batteries.
"Solid-state batteries such as polymer, sulphide, and oxide all require the use of composite current collectors."Enlong Stock stated that, in terms of solid-state battery materials, the company is leveraging its technical reserves in vapor deposition processes to develop integrated lithium metal/composite current collector anode materials. It is also collaborating on relevant technologies with leading automotive companies and will continue to explore application scenarios for composite current collectors in the future.
According to Nord shares, the company has developed a range of current collector products suitable for solid-state batteries, including high-temperature-resistant copper foil current collectors, porous copper foil current collectors, extremely thin dual-function copper foil current collectors, double-sided rough copper foil current collectors, and foam copper foil current collectors. Dongfang Electric Heating stated that, in terms of technological layout and reserves for solid-state battery current collector materials, the company can develop corresponding products based on its existing equipment and technical reserves.
In addition, Dongwei Technology stated that the composite current collector materials produced by its new energy equipment can be used in solid-state batteries. Defu Technology also stated that the company currently provides anode current collector solutions for semi/all-solid-state batteries, including atomized copper foil, microporous copper foil, nickel-plated copper foil, etc. All of the above products have achieved mass production and supply.
Market Expansion Accelerates
With technological advancements and market demand expansion in the new energy industry, particularly the rapid development of the solid-state battery sector, composite current collector producers are also accelerating their production line layouts, increasing capacity, and expediting the industrialization process. Hu'an Securities pointed out that, with future demand growth, as composite current collectors are validated in fields such as solid-state batteries, current collector enterprises are expected to gradually secure downstream orders, potentially accelerating the release of their performance.
For example, Sanfu New Technology secured orders for solid-state battery materials this year. In May, the company announced plans to construct a high-safety dry electrode battery key material and high-frequency electronic information composite material industrialization project in Longnan City, Jiangxi Province. The project is expected to have a total investment of 620 million yuan and, upon full operation, will form an annual production capacity for key materials supporting the manufacture of 5GWh high-safety dry electrode batteries.
China Battery Network also noted that, in September last year, AMTech signed an agreement with the Management Committee of Neijiang Economic and Technological Development Zone in Sichuan Province, planning to invest 5 billion yuan to construct the "Annual Production of 1 Billion m² New-Type High-Safety Composite Current Collector Copper Foil/Aluminum Foil Industrialization Project" in Neijiang Economic and Technological Development Zone. This project will meet the application demands of approximately 100GWh of power, energy storage, and 3C new energy batteries in the future.
Nowadays, composite current collectors are in an accelerated phase of market expansion, with very broad application prospects in the future. According to industry forecasts, the penetration rate of composite current collectors in lithium batteries for power, energy storage, and consumer electronics will reach 15%, 30%, and 20% respectively in 2025, with a comprehensive penetration rate of 18.8%. By 2030, their market penetration rate is expected to soar to 40%, with shipments potentially reaching up to 18 billion m².
