Copper Foil
Copper Foil
COPPER FOIL
Based on Korea Zinc’s global No.1 smelting technology, the company is supplying the world's best eco-friendly copper foil with the highest stability. Korea Zinc produces electrolytic copper foil, a key material for battery cathodes, based on its unique dissolution and electrolysis technology accumulated over the past 50 years. Korea Zinc is producing it in an environmentally friendly manner by using 100% recycled electrolytic copper as the raw material for electrolytic copper foil.
A key material for electric vehicle batteries
One of the four main materials for electric vehicle batteries is the cathode material. Copper foil is the electrode plate material that supports this cathode. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that the number of electric vehicles worldwide will grow by 30% annually until 2030, reaching a cumulative 145 million units. Accordingly, the demand for copper foil, a core material for electric vehicle batteries, is also expected to increase rapidly. Recently, SNE Research projected that global copper foil demand will reach 1,164,000 tons by 2027.
Korea Zinc established a wholly-owned subsidiary, K-Foil, in March 2020 to handle copper foil production and sales.
Korea Zinc secured a copper foil production capacity of 13,000 tons in 2022, and plan to expand the company’s total production capacity to 30,000 tons by 2025 in the short term. Subsequently, through strategic overseas site selection and expansion, the company plans to secure a total domestic and international production capacity of 120,000 tons by 2029, strengthening Korea Zinc’s global competitiveness.
Copper Foil Made by Global NO.1 Smelting Technology
Utilizing Korea Zinc's unique dissolution and electrolysis technology, distinctive and stable copper foil for secondary batteries is produced. Korea Zinc is recognized for its technological advantages in the copper foil field, thanks to its unique expertise and know-how in the non-ferrous metal smelting industry. These technological capabilities are expected to deliver superior quality and cost competitiveness.
- Korea Zinc's Unique Competitiveness
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Stable eco-friendly raw material supply
- In-house production of electrolytic copper
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Ability to process various raw materials
- Capable of processing raw materials with high impurity content (TOC, F, etc.) using electric furnaces
- Able to process raw materials without separate pre-treatment processes (chopping, washing)
- Capable of processing low-grade Cu raw materials
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Optimization of raw material dissolution efficiency
- Accumulated metal dissolution technology and experience applying the best know-how for a long time
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Optimization of electrolysis efficiency
- World-class hydrometallurgy technology accumulated over 40 years of experience
- Established electrolysis conditions for various metals and advanced electrolysis technology
- Ability to manufacture/maintain electrolyte and economically operate and manage the electrolysis process
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Automated equipment operation
- Reduced labor costs through automated operation from battery foil slitting to battery foil product packaging
- Implemented based on experience in automated operation of various equipment
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Possession of unique technology
- Possessing technology that minimizes defect rates by maintaining consistent copper quality during copper electrolysis, having accumulated a large amount of unique know-how on the copper electrolysis process for manufacturing electrolytic copper
KZAM Copper Foil Manufacturing Process
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STEP 01 Raw Material Process
- Use of electrolytic copper self-manufactured by Korea Zinc and purchased copper scrap (Cu scrap) as raw materials
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STEP 02 Melting Process
- Melting raw materials using high-frequency electric induction furnace equipment
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STEP 03 Dissolution Process
- Dissolving copper raw materials in sulfuric acid to produce copper sulfate solution
- Managing the chemicals and their quantities determined by the company to supply electrolytic copper foil of the quality required by customers Manufacturing copper sulfate electrolyte
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STEP 04 Foil Production Process
- Quality inspection of special characteristics specified by customers such as strength, elongation, thickness, roughness, and gloss
- After inspection, approved products are stored and shipped with shock-resistant packaging
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STEP 05 Slitting Process
- Heat treatment at temperature and time determined by the company to manage the CURL quality of electrolytic copper foil, improving processability for customers' secondary battery manufacturing
- Manufacturing electrolytic copper foil in various widths required by customers in the slitting process
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STEP 06 Quality Inspection and Packaging Process
- Manufacturing electrolytic copper foil of thickness required by customers using electro-winning electrolysis technology by supplying electricity to cathode drum and anode
- Controlling electrolytic copper foil thickness through electrolyte flow rate, copper and sulfuric acid concentration, current amount, etc.
Copper Foil manufacturing process video
Sustainable Management
Battery Foil Produced from 100% Recycled Raw Materials
Korea Zinc produces electrolytic copper using 100% secondary raw materials. K-foil produces battery foil for secondary batteries using this electrolytic copper. As such, the company’s business is realizing circular economic value from the process of sourcing raw materials. Korea Zinc's electrolytic copper, used as a raw material for K-foil's battery foil in secondary batteries, is produced by recycling electronic scrap or secondary raw materials. These materials are extracted from by-products of zinc and lead processes or from by-products generated by external smelters. Through these efforts, K-foil's battery foil business for secondary batteries is creating future value through circular economic value and establishing itself as a new growth engine.
Korea Zinc’s Copper Foil, 100% Eco-friendly certified.
Eco-friendly Raw Material Procurement Ecosystem
for Secondary Battery Foil Business
