NEO Battery Materials Ltd.’s Korean subsidiary has entered a memorandum of understanding with Korea Zinc Co. and Taesung Co. to advance composite copper foil technology for lithium-ion batteries in drones, robotics and micromobility applications. The collaboration aims to reduce weight and material costs while enhancing safety compared to conventional all-copper foils. By replacing the central copper layer with a polymer core, the composite structure lowers overall copper usage and battery mass, supporting higher energy density and extended operating times.
Copper foil serves as the primary current collector in lithium-ion cells, and when paired with high-capacity silicon anode materials such as NEO’s NBMSiDE®, the composite foil helps mitigate mechanical strain during cycling. This synergy is expected to improve both energy density and cycle life, meeting the demanding performance requirements of unmanned aerial vehicles and compact robotic systems.
Under the MOU, Korea Zinc will leverage its non-ferrous smelting and refining expertise to develop and optimize composite copper foil materials, while Taesung will contribute specialized processing equipment. NEO will integrate these foils into bench-scale cell prototypes to validate material performance and manufacturing processes. Upon reaching key performance milestones, the partners plan to jointly produce system-level battery modules for field demonstration in real-world drone, robotics and micromobility systems.
A spokesperson for Korea Zinc noted that a successful demonstration of these batteries by year-end would represent a first for the Korean battery industry and help diversify the company’s materials portfolio. Dr. J.S. Jeoung, senior vice president of cell development and commercialization at NEO, added that combining Korea Zinc’s upstream materials capabilities with Taesung’s equipment technology positions the partnership to capture a competitive share of the global composite copper foil market and expand tailored solutions for emerging mobility segments.
By uniting upstream materials development, equipment innovation and battery integration expertise, the three companies aim to accelerate the commercialization of advanced current collectors that complement existing silicon-enhanced anode technologies. This initiative represents a strategic step toward safer, lighter and more energy-dense batteries for next-generation aerial and ground robotics.
Source: Neo Battery Materials
