Japanese supplier of specialty elastomers, polymers, and specialty chemicals Zeon has signed a strategic partnership with Sino Applied Technology, a Taiwanese manufacturer of advanced nanomaterials for next-generation batteries.
As part of the collaboration, Zeon will lead a $20-million Series C fundraising round for SiAT to support the expansion of its production capacity for single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) conductive paste, a nanomaterial used in next-generation battery technologies. SiAT aims to use the funding to scale its annual conductive paste production capacity to 25,000 tons by 2030. Zeon will be the company’s primary supplier.
Unlike traditional conductive agents like carbon black or multi-walled carbon nanotube slurries, SWCNT conductive paste offers superior electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and chemical stability, making it well suited to advanced battery formulations, according to SiAT.
Mass production of SWCNT powder is challenging, as the high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process requires precise control of catalysts and reaction conditions to achieve high yield and high purity. Zeon produces ZEONANO, an SWCNT product characterized by high aspect ratio, high purity and large surface area.
SWCNTs tend to bundle and exhibit poor dispersibility in aqueous and non-aqueous media, complicating their uniform integration into electrode slurries during battery manufacturing. But SiAT’s process enables the even dispersion of SWCNTs into stable conductive paste products tailored for battery electrodes.
Since 2024, Zeon and SiAT have collaborated to introduce their LSC2102 (NMP-based) and LSC1101 (water-based) well-dispersed SWCNT conductive pastes. These products have demonstrated that incorporating a small amount of SWCNTs into lithium battery cathodes and anodes can enhance energy output and cycle life, which is particularly critical for silicon anodes and other high-capacity, high-rate performance applications.
Beyond battery applications, there is potential to use SWCNTs across multiple industries including metal, rubber, plastic composites, semiconductors and more, enabling innovations in high-conductivity functional rubber, high-thermal-conductivity materials, structural reinforcements, and high-performance membranes. SiAT will continue working with Zeon to expand SWCNT applications across industries.
Source: Zeon
