Why is CNT, which is the same raw material for lithium batteries as NMP, highly valued? ! | ZOLSEM

We have talked about the raw materials for lithium batteries in many previous articles. The NMP (N-methylpyrrolidone)  is one of the raw materials for the production of lithium batteries along with CNT which is produced and supplied by WIT FENGZE & ZESHENG; the proportion of CNT in the raw material is higher than NMP solvent. In 2022, a number of companies announced the construction of projects on conductive agent CNTs. Why did they choose the conductive agent CNT? Next, we analyze it in detail:

Why does the excipient conductive agent, which accounts for about 2% of the cost of lithium batteries, attract the attention of listed companies?

There are three reasons why I have to say it.

NO.1: The composite conductive paste has almost become the industry “standard”!

All insiders know that a single type of conductive agent is difficult to completely replace other types of conductive agents to monopolize the market. Different types of conductive agents have different electrical conductivity, advantages and disadvantages due to different morphology; therefore, different types of conductive agents have different effects on battery production. Therefore, in practical applications, two or more conductive agents are added to the conductive paste; such as conductive carbon black + CNT, or CNT + graphene, etc. (Just as the binder PVDF must be added to the paste, it also needs the assistance of NMP (N-methylpyrrolidone) solvent.) The composite formulation of the conductive paste will have higher magnification performance, and lower interfacial impedance force. Therefore, to increase the production capacity of lithium batteries, the production capacity of CNTs must not be ignored.

Of course, neither NMP which is produced and supplied by WIT FENGZE & ZESHENG in production of the lithium battery.

NO.2: CNT conductive agent not only has market potential in China, but also has mature preparation technology!

Where is the market potential of CNT? It is understood that in addition to cylindrical battery 4680 type that needs to be used CNT, the lithium iron phosphate battery also needs to add a higher dose of conductive agent than the ternary battery (NCM & NCA) in order to improve the internal conductivity. (The addition of CNTs in lithium iron phosphate batteries is generally 1%-1.5%, while the addition of ternary lithium batteries is generally 0.5%-1%, and the average addition of CNTs in lithium iron phosphate batteries is 0.5% more than Ternary lithium batteries.) With mass productions of these batteries,the demands of the CNTs are bigger and bigger. 

Unlike the conductive carbon black market, which has been monopolized by foreign countries,the manufacturing   technology of China’s carbon nanotube (CNT) is very mature and more and more companies that can produce CNTs. For example, Nanotechnology, Qingdao Haoxin, Qingdao Chaorui, Shandong Dazhan Nano, Henan Guocarbon New Materials, etc., can produce conductive agent CNT.

In the past, NMP was also monopolized by Japan and South Korea, and now the manufacturing and refining technology for the NMP in China is also very mature. WIT FENGZE & ZESHENG not only has its own NMP (N-methylpyrrolidone) factory, but also developed an NMP waste gas recovery system, which solves the problems of environmental impact, human health and cost reduction. In the NMP supply market, WIT FENGZE & ZESHENG, which has accumulated 10+ years of industry experience, has considerable strength.

NO.3: The strategic significance of CNT powder is outstanding!

In the past,it seemed the people in the new energy industry not pay much attention to manufacture CNT powder in conductive agent; but in the last quarter of 2021, with the explosive growth of downstream demands, the expansion speed of CNT powder is not as fast as that of conductive paste, resulting in asymmetric production capacity, affecting the production output of lithium batteries. Increasing the output of CNT powder has only become the focus of conductive agent companies.

The new entrants Changxin Chemical, Shida Shenghua, Heimao, etc. have confirmed the strategic significance of producing CNT powder. CATL invested in Jiebang Precision (the parent company of Dongguan Ruitai) and Wuxi Dongheng in 2020 and 2021, and also intends to increase the proportion of CNTs. In April 2022, BYD invested in Griffin New Energy, the parent company of Qingdao Haoxin, which also brought a wave of heat to the CNT conductive agent market.

With the rapid development of the new energy industry, the world’s demands for electric vehicles is bigger and bigger. In the future, the lithium-ion battery market will have big demands for conductive agent CNT powder, auxiliary material NMP solvent, and conductive paste. Which will be rised to a new level. Not only the future of new companies entering the track is possible, but the future of WIT FENGZE & ZESHENG is also worth looking forward to. Would you like to be together with us to the future?