SK On unveils breakthroughs in solid-state battery tech

SEOUL: SK On has made key advances in all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology, with findings from its research now published in top international journals and several patents filed globally.

In collaboration with the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, SK On used ultrafast photonic sintering technology to develop hybrid solid electrolytes.

This technique, typically used in circuit board manufacturing, applies intense light energy to strengthen materials. Their study was featured in ACS Energy Letters, with six of the nine authors from SK On.

Another study with Seoul National University, published in Advanced Energy Materials, focused on improving lithium- and manganese-rich layered oxide cathodes for sulphide-based batteries.

Researchers identified how oxygen release degrades sulphide electrolytes and applied a special coating to enhance battery life.

Solid state batteries replace liquid electrolytes in standard lithium-ion batteries with solid alternatives, which are either sulphide-based, oxide-based, or polymer-based.

Traditional oxide-based electrolytes require costly high-temperature treatments, but SK On’s photonic sintering method offers a faster, low-temperature alternative that improves stability and performance.

The company is developing two types of solid state batteries — polymer-oxide composite and sulphide-based — with commercial prototypes expected by 2027 and 2029.

A pilot production facility in Daejeon, Korea, will be completed in 2025.