SAMSUNG SDI

R&D Overview

As a pioneering company that provides green energy and cutting-edge materials solutions, SAMSUNG SDI is dedicated to securing 'super-gap' technological competitiveness via continued, robust R&D investments. With a wide spectrum of business that includes cutting-edge materials and parts manufacturing, SAMSUNG SDI has successfully made a leap forward to becoming an energy solution specialist that makes batteries for power tools, IT gadgets, electric vehicles and energy storage systems. In particular, 2014 was a cornerstone year for SAMSUNG SDI since its R&D Center and the Electronics Materials Business arm joined the Samsung Future Technology Campus to create synergy through joint research and development activities with Samsung affiliates. We also continue to expand our world-wide R&D network in a bid to facilitate technological collaborations on a global scale.

How do we
create value?

R&D Areas

Battery

Establish Materials R&D Center’s Mid/Long-Term Strategies

SAMSUNG SDI is strengthening its collaborative ties with a myriad of top-standing parties to better accommodate rapidly changing market needs and technological trends.
We have been leveraging many academia-industry partnership programs for years to secure differentiating battery technologies and nurture top talent. Also our crucial undertakings are numerous, continuous partnerships with leading universities in lithium-ion battery research through which SAMSUNG SDI seeks to develop the beyond-lithium-ion battery technologies.
SAMSUNG SDI's global R&D network encompasses the United States, Europe, China, and Japan, effectively catering our battery development to technological specialization of each advanced country.
We are resolved to achieve 'super-gap' technological competitiveness with our technologies hard-earned through such vigorous efforts in operating valuable partnerships and R&D network.

Bolster R&D in Li-ion Battery Materials

Fast-growing automotive and energy storage system (ESS) markets call for even more demanding specifications for electric car batteries, such as a longer range and faster charging while a longer life is required for ESS batteries; not to mention the tall order of achieving higher cost edge and environmentally friendly application for any battery products.
To accomplish such ultimate battery improvements, SAMSUNG SDI strives to develop our proprietary technologies as follows:

• Five Core Technologies: cathode materials, anode materials, separators, electrolytes, electrodes
• Three Basic Technologies: simulation, analysis, evaluation

Already in retention are high nickel cathode and silicon anode technologies primed for increasing the battery time (range) and life. The focus is on developing cobalt-free cathode materials, fast-charging anode materials, materials that assure long life and safety, as well as core materials for all-solid state batteries, a next-generation battery solution.

Materials

Electronics Materials

SAMSUNG SDI develops core materials for high-tech IT products such as semiconductors, displays, new energy solutions in collaboration with customers. In particular, our focus is on instilling our unrivalled technology into the products so that they can stably run through state-of-the-art processes at our customers.

Our semiconductor materials portfolio includes:
- Spin-on-hardmasks (SOH) that enable precise micro-patterning,
- Slurry that polishes the wafer surface,
- Spin-on-dielectrics (SOD) that serves as an insulator to prevent interference within semiconductor devices,
- Epoxy molding compounds (EMC) that dissipates heat in chips,
- CMOS image sensor color resists for high-definition and ultra-thin camera modules, and
- Materials for a cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) process.

Our display materials portfolio includes:
- Polarizer films that enhances visual angles and light leakage in LCD displays for higher resolutions,
- Self-luminous organic materials and auxiliary materials for organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, and
- Functional adhesive materials that enable bending in foldable displays.

In terms of battery materials, we are working on ensuring thermal resistance and top-notch quality of separators, which play an integral part in battery stability.

As such, SAMSUNG SDI will continue its innovation endeavors in electronic materials technology so as to bring us the leadership that caters to the needs of markets, customers and technological trends.

Patents

Creating synergy for intellectual property

SAMSUNG SDI has been pressing ahead with patenting activity in order to protect proprietary technologies that are embedded in our market-leading products and to mitigate patent risks that may arise in the normal course of business. From early on, we have built a diversified patent portfolio in a holistic range of rechargeable batteries and electronic materials. Our competitive patents secured as such allow us to create market-pioneering innovations.
With respect to technologies of the next generation, not only do we develop our internal technology capabilities, but also partner with leading universities and research institutes in Korea and overseas to secure patents in promising future technology areas.
As of late 2023, SAMSUNG SDI maintains 20,991 patents registered home and abroad. 14,636 of those patent registrations have been secured in major markets such as the US, Europe, and China, enhancing our responsiveness therein.