Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd (President Genichi Sato, Koto-ku Tokyo, Japan) announced that they will launch commercial operations for manufacturing and distributing electrolyte flame-retarding materials for lithium ion batteries under an exclusive license with Bridgestone Corp.
Nippon Chemical Industrial has been focusing its efforts on the development of organophosphorus flame retardants, especially phosphine derivatives which are specialties of Nippon Chemical, as well as red phosphorus-based inorganic flame retardants. The flame retardant business is the core of the organic material business for Nippon Chemical. Nippon Chemical has a long history in the development of non-flammable lithium ion batteries involving the use of various phosphazene compounds. In a joint development with Bridgestone Corp., for non-flammable lithium ion batteries, Nippon Chemical leads in the development of technologies for manufacturing phosphazene compounds, where it can fully take advantage of their long experience in phosphorous compound synthesis.
The fact that Nippon Chemical has extensive knowledge for the manufacture and distribution of lithium ion battery cathode materials and for the manufacture of organophosphorus compounds including phosphazene compounds. Nippon Chemical operates various suitable manufacturing plants, and has led to this decision of launching the commercial operation.
Lithium ion batteries are high-energy-density rechargeable batteries having an anode and cathode made of compounds that can adsorb and desorb large numbers of lithium ions. They present have come into widespread use as power supplies for cellular phones and laptop computers. As an example their applications are expected to expand to include the main power supplies for hybrid cars and electric tools. However, lithium ion batteries use highly flammable organic solvents in their electrolytes and may explode or catch on fire when abnormally charged or exposed to high temperatures. Although the batteries are equipped with protection circuits to avoid such problems, safety measures to prevent such problems need to be improved on a more fundamental level. It is also possible even in general usage for batteries under excessive pressure to undergo leakage of flammable organic solvents through vent holes in the batteries, which may thereby lead to fire. Thus, large-size batteries requiring large quantities of electrolytes require built in safety measures in the design that takes into account such concerns. The phosphazene compounds to be sold by Nippon Chemical are capable of capturing highly reactive substances produced by the decomposition of the electrolytes if they are added to the electrolytes in advance, also in the gas phase they must achieve flame-retarding effects. Compared to other additives, phosphazene compounds cause markedly less degradation in battery characteristics while achieving high flame-retarding effects.
The additive, phosphazene, is a cyclic compound composed primarily of phosphorus and nitrogen. It has been confirmed that the addition of phosphazene at an amount of 5 to 10% to the existing electrolyte renders the electrolyte nonflammable and suppresses exothermic reaction. Phosphazene offers remarkably high levels of protection against accidents resulting from exothermic reaction and combustion.
With regard to marketability, the phosphazene compounds are already used in existing small-size lithium ion batteries and are expected to be used in large-size batteries for automobiles.
Nippon Chemical intends to establish the phosphazene compound supply system by the end of 2007 and expects production of less than 10 tonnes after December 2007, and at least 10 tonnes after 2008. This would be in conformity with notifications required by the Law Concerning the Examination and Regulation of Manufacture, etc of Chemical Substances (Kashin Hou). Nippon Chemical will additionally invest about 300 million yen for equipment to manufacture 30 to 50 tonnes annually as the first-stage of plant construction. Construction of a plant with a capacity to manufacture 500 tonnes of phosphazene compounds annually is planned as the second-stage, in order to meet a significant increase in future demands.
Contact (Japan): 11-1, Kameido 9-chome, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-8515 Japan
Organic Material Sales Division, Organic Material Department, Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd
Tel: 03-3636-8102 Fax: 03-3636-8132
Contact (outside Japan): 1311 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 145 White Plaines, NY 10605
JCI USA inc.
Tel: 914-761-6555 Fax: 914-761-6940 |
