As a mage, I just want to pursue the truth

Chapter 144 "Lithography Machine" in Lithium Battery Field

Global players in the lithium battery industry are basically concentrated in East Asia.

LG, Ningde Times and Panasonic will account for more than 2020% of the total lithium battery production in 70.00.

Although Panasonic and LG obtained the battery samples of Kechuangbio through their own channels, Kechuangbio only sent samples to battery manufacturers in Huaguo, which is a signal in itself.

"Judging from the samples obtained by Kechuang Biotech, they have achieved a breakthrough in the positive electrode material and separator. Regardless of whether the positive electrode material is lithium metal, a layer of graphene coating is added to the separator."

"The lithium metal positive electrode solves the pressure caused by the expansion of lithium metal due to the release of lithium metal through the MIEC pipeline of the honeycomb structure. This is a previous solution."

"Kechuang Bio's lithium metal cathode has taken a big step forward on this basis. Their microstructure is more complex, but they are indeed more effective."

"The same unique graphene coating not only makes Linshu have good stability as the positive electrode, but also significantly improves the efficiency of battery charging and discharging."

"And the performance shown by the samples of Kechuangbio is not much different from what they claim, and even performs better. The energy density of 700kWh/kg is more than three times the energy density of common power batteries on the market today."

"If Kechuangbio's lithium battery cathode material and graphene coating can be mass-produced, then our battery will have no advantage at all."

"At least our current 4680 battery has no advantage in front of Kechuangbio's new cathode material."

The 4680 model battery is the current high-end model of Panasonic Battery, which was released by Tesla founder Musk himself on Tesla Battery Day in 2020.

The energy density of 4860 has reached 300kWh/kg, while the lithium battery of Kechuangbio has directly doubled and increased by 100kWh/kg.

M. Takahashi is the R&D general manager of Panasonic Battery. He continued: "Huaguo is a big country with vigorous development. I have been to Huaguo many times. The battery industry in Huaguo has been developing rapidly."

"When I went to participate in the 2016th South China Lithium Battery International High-Level Forum in [-], the founders of CATL were still learning from us."

"As a result, in 2020, the market share of Ningde Times has surpassed ours by 5%."

"Kechuangbiology is even more frightening. Even the new generation of 4680 energy density in our laboratory is still far inferior to Kechuangbiology."

"Our hope is that the production cost of Kechuangbio's cathode material is very high. Since it involves the design of lithium metal ion structure at the micro level, it is estimated that the cost will not be very low."

Panasonic's 4680 battery is coated with conductive material through the electrode end of the "non-pole ear", so that it is directly connected to the shell or a specially designed cover plate, and the current is directly conducted between the electrode collector, the cover plate, and the shell.

This design increases the area of ​​electrical conduction, shortens the distance of electrical conduction, and reduces the internal resistance by 5 times.

At the same time, the cost of 4680 is reduced by 14% due to the absence of the metal conductor of the tab.

"If the cost of Kechuangbio's lithium battery technology is diluted to be lower than ours per kWh/kg, then we can only increase R&D investment and obtain the patent authorization of Kechuangbio."

"Kechuangbio's technology is at least three years ahead of us."

Panasonic batteries have been supplying Tesla for a long time, and can be said to be one of Tesla's earliest core suppliers.

In the past, new energy vehicles used a whole battery, or a combination of several large batteries.Until Tesla entered the market, 7104 Panasonic 18650 ternary lithium batteries were connected in series to form the total power system.

After that, major new energy car companies began to use the method of connecting small batteries in series.

This is because the usage efficiency of the battery can be improved through the battery management system.

Even now, Tesla's battery management system is still in a leading position among major new energy car companies.

The partnership between Panasonic Battery and Tesla is deeply tied. As early as 2014, Panasonic and Tesla jointly built a super battery factory in Nevada with a joint venture of 50 billion yuan, specializing in the production of cylinders required by Tesla vehicles. type batteries.

After M. Takahashi finished speaking, Kazuo Tadanobu opened his eyes that had been closed all the time: "Don't have illusions, the cathode material of Kechuang Bio is definitely not a laboratory product."

"If it is just a laboratory product, it is impossible to provide it directly to major manufacturers."

"Kechuangbio is a formidable company. Whether it is endorphins or brain-computer connections, Kechuangbio's technology has directly opened up the technological gap compared with other competitors."

"We must be prepared to face scientifically innovative creatures."

M. Takahashi nodded and said, "Hey!"

Kazuo Tadanobu continued: "First of all, we need to inquire about the attitude of scientifically innovative creatures."

"Since Kechuangbiology will license the brain-computer connection technology and endorphin technology to external patents, it means that they are willing to cooperate."

"Whether it is Sony or Samsung, they have obtained the patent authorization for brain-computer connection. It should not be the only lithium battery technology that is not authorized to Chinese and foreign companies."

"I will send the president of Panasonic Greater China to inquire about the news, but you also need to be prepared that Kechuang Bio is not willing to license our technology."

"You just said that Kechuangbio's technology is three years ahead of us, which means that along our own technical route, it will take three years to achieve the current performance of Kechuangbio?"

M. Takahashi: "Yes, this is an estimate if everything goes well."

"And even if our energy density reaches 700kWh/kg, it will be difficult for our charge and discharge efficiency to catch up with lithium batteries using Kechuang biotechnology."

Kazuo Tadanobu asked: "Can they bypass their technology patents?"

M. Takahashi: "It's unrealistic. First of all, even if we design a similar metal structure according to the lithium metal structure of Kechuangbio, then the energy density is almost the same as that of Kechuangbio's lithium battery."

"But we don't know the industrial process, and it doesn't make sense to only have the laboratory method."

Kazuo Tadanobu: "What if we can obtain the industrial manufacturing method of the cathode material of Kechuangbio?"

M. Takahashi: "I can't guarantee that we will be able to bypass their patent barriers."

"So far, no pharmaceutical company has bypassed the technical barriers of Kechuang Bio's endorphin industrial production method."

"To know the profits of global endorphins every year, Kechuang Bio will eat 30.00%."

Endorphin patent licensing fees are high.

At present, in the global analgesic market, the market share of endorphins has exceeded 50.00%, and the annual sales are about 1000 billion yuan.Kechuang Bio's profit on this is more than 100 billion yuan.

Among them, the explosive growth of this income will mainly be in 2022.

Kazuo Tadanobu: "Research and development and inquiring about news are carried out at the same time."

"LG has been deeply involved in the Huaguo market for many years, and has always regarded Huaguo as the most important market for our future development."

"I hope to reach an in-depth cooperative relationship with Kechuang Bio in the field of lithium batteries. As a giant in China, Kechuang Bio can achieve perfect complementarity in resource integration."

Gao Minghuan, president of LG Chem Greater China, went straight to the topic after a few greetings.

Cheng Gang knew that he could not be the master. This was decided by Zheng Li, and the authorization was only granted to domestic enterprises in Huaguo.

But it was impossible to say it directly on the scene, Cheng Gang euphemistically said: "Kechuang Bio is still a newcomer in the field of lithium batteries."

"LG is the leader in the global lithium battery industry, we have a lot to learn from LG Chem, and there is no doubt about its technical strength."

"Kechuangbio's technology is still immature, and I hope to have the opportunity to cooperate with LG Chem in the future."

Gao Minghuan understood what the other party meant, and he asked, "Mr. Cheng, there is a saying in Huaguo: Open the skylight and speak honestly."

"What I will say next may be more straightforward, please forgive me."

"LG Chem has already cooperated with Kechuang Bio on endorphins. LG Chem's endorphin production ranks second in Korea, second only to Samsung."

"After the partnership is reached, LG Chem has to pay Kechuangbio hundreds of millions of dollars in patent licensing fees every year, and this fee has never been in arrears."

"We already have a history of cooperation, why is Kechuangbio unwilling to cooperate with LG Chem this time?"

"Is it because of the need to support the country's industrial chain? But Huaguo's local lithium battery industry chain is not weak, and it can even be said to be the world's number one. It doesn't need support at all."

"Accordingly, shouldn't your country's biomedical industry be more supportive?"

"I'm curious, your company's strategic considerations?"

"As a giant based on the world, why does it show a certain tendency for regional protection on this patent?"

Gao Minghuan's question was very sharp, and Cheng Gang really wanted to ask back: Does it have anything to do with you?
Reluctantly, he could only say politely: "This is due to certain considerations. We will consider opening up the technology to foreign companies in the future."

"It's just that due to production constraints, it cannot be opened to global battery manufacturers."

"Since you are so frank, I can reveal a thing or two."

"Since you came to talk about Kechuang Bio's lithium battery technology today, your company must have obtained samples and tested them."

Gao Minghuan: "Yes."

Cheng Gang continued: "You should know that our lithium battery cathode technology has a unique graphene coating between the lithium metal cathode and the electrolyte."

"Different from common graphene coatings, Kechuangbio's graphene coatings require special equipment to print metal lithium cathode materials."

"Similar to lithography machines, the output of this equipment is limited and cannot meet the supply of all manufacturers."

What Cheng Gang said is true. Because it is a three-dimensional graphene structure, it is not like the current mainstream method of coating a layer of graphene on it.

Specialized graphene coating equipment is required. The underlying logic of this technology is somewhat similar to a photolithography machine, which uses graphene to print fine patterns on the lithium metal cathode material.

It can be said to be a lithography machine in the field of lithium batteries.

To some extent, this is also a countermeasure.Kechuang Biology deliberately split it up.

(End of this chapter)