NIPPON SHOKUBAI announces developing Electrolyte for Lithium Battery “LiFSI” by innovative commercial production process

NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD. [Tokyo Stock Exchange – TOKSE:4114.T] (“NIPPON SHOKUBAI”) hereby announces that it has developed a commercial production process of a new electrolyte for lithium ion battery, Lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (“LiFSI”) by using innovative fluorination reaction. The commercial production of LiFSI is scheduled to start in 2013.

Along with increasing demand for lithium ion batteries, a new electrolyte which can achieve high-performance and long-life battery is required. In order to meet such requirement, Nippon Shokubai has developed a new process to produce highly-pure LiFSI at reasonable cost. The commercial production of LiFSI is scheduled to start in 2013 with a production facility having annual production capacity of 200 to 300 metric tons. Expected sales for lithium ion battery in 2015 are 2 billion yen.
(year = fisical year)

* Features of LiFSI
– It improves performances of lithium ion batteries such as high-rate performance, low-temperature performance, storage characteristics at high temperatures and fully charged state, etc.
– It suppresses cell bulging and provides a long-life battery.
– It can be used as an additive for electrolyte without negative impacts.

LiFSI is exhibited at upcoming BATTERY JAPAN, to be held from Feb. 29(Wed)-Mar. 2(Fri), 2012 at Tokyo Big Site in Japan. The booth will be located at W6-25.
It is also presented at the 79th annual meeting of the Electrochemical Society of Japan, to be held from March 29(Thu)-31(Sat), 2012, in Hamamatsu-city.


Contact
Investor & Public Relations Dept.,
NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD.
TEL: +81-3-3506-7605
E-mail: shokubai@n.shokubai.co.jp