SK On: Solid-State Battery Developments – CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

---

We’ve been hearing about solid-state battery breakthroughs for a decade, or more than a decade actually. Solid-state batteries are the future of batteries, and the future of EVs — as they have been for several years. Given the many announcements on solid-state battery breakthroughs and solid-state batteries being the future, it’s hard to get excited about any incremental news on these. However, SK On is trying to get us to believe and get excited again.

“SK On, a leading global battery and trading company, today unveiled its latest research and development (R&D) achievements on all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) as the company reinforces its commitment to drive innovations in next-generation battery solutions,” the company wrote last week.

In short, SK On research projects recently got papers published in scientific journals, and the company filed several patents on solid-state battery developments. But that doesn’t really tell us much. That kind of thing is happening all the time with technology that isn’t going anywhere commercially.

Getting technical, here is the one SK On is most excited about: “SK On’s study with Dr. Jin Ho Kim’s group at Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology focuses on the use of ultrafast photonic sintering* technology in the manufacturing of oxide-rich inorganic-organic composite hybrid solid electrolytes. It is regarded as groundbreaking for applying photonic sintering technology, traditionally used in printed circuit board manufacturing, to the development of ASSBs. * Photonic sintering: A process that uses intense light energy applied instantaneously to strengthen the bonding of powder particles, resulting in a solid mass with enhanced strength, durability and improved material properties.”

Well, it sounds fancy. But tell me the EV model it’s going to be applied in.

Maybe I’m being too cynical and negative on this. R&D takes time, and progress is mostly incremental rather than revolutionary.

If you’re interested in learning more about what the company has been working on in the lab, you can read more details on the R&D here. As far as long-term plans for commercial application, SK On writes, “SK On is developing two types of ASSBs: polymer-oxide composite and sulfide-based, with commercial prototypes expected by 2027 and 2029, respectively. The company’s solid-state battery pilot facility, currently under construction at its research center in Daejeon, Korea, is set for completion in the second half of 2025.” So, that’s where we are. Nothing to get too excited about, but solid-state battery R&D continues to move forward.