Asahi Kasei has concluded a non-exclusive license agreement with HighChem Shanghai, with operations focused on trading in China. Through this partnership, HighChem Shanghai will produce and sell Acetolyte, a novel acetonitrile-containing electrolyte based on Asahi Kasei’s technology, in China.

“We have steadily expanded the Acetolyte business through licensing partnerships in Europe. This first license agreement in China represents a significant advance in the global extension of our technology,” said Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Head of Corporate R&D.

Overview of the license agreement for producing and selling Acetolyte in China.

(From left) Yuichi Taka of HighChem, Yueyuan Long of HighChem Shanghai, and Osamu Matsuzaki and Yuto Iizuka of Asahi Kasei at Asahi Kasei.

The collaboration represents a significant step forward in Asahi Kasei’s licensing strategy and is expected to accelerate sales of Acetolyte to battery manufacturers in China.

More on Asahi Kasei’s Acetolyte

Asahi Kasei’s Acetolyte features high ionic conductivity, enabling increased battery power output at low temperatures and improved durability at high temperatures—an ongoing challenge for current LIBs. By enabling smaller battery packs with greater energy density, Acetolyte reduces costs for manufacturers.

“Acetolyte offers excellent low-temperature performance, and we believe that our collaboration with Asahi Kasei will enable us to maximize the value of this technology and open up new possibilities for the battery industry,” commented Yueyuan Long, General Manager of HighChem Shanghai.

Expanding Chinese market for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

The agreement between HighChem Shanghai and Asahi Kasei comes as China’s market for high-performance lithium-ion batteries is rapidly expanding due to the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS).

This marks the first license agreement for Asahi Kasei’s novel electrolyte technology in China, and grants HighChem Shanghai a non-exclusive license to produce and sell the electrolyte for the local market.

Leveraging HighChem Shanghai’s extensive customer base and established presence in China's battery industry, the partnership aims to drive market adoption of the novel electrolyte while ensuring a reliable, responsive supply to local customers.