Japanese chemicals group Asahi Kasei has signed a non-exclusive licence agreement allowing HighChem Shanghai to manufacture and sell its acetonitrile-containing Acetolyte electrolyte in China.
The agreement is Asahi Kasei’s first licence for the electrolyte technology in China. HighChem Shanghai, an affiliate of chemicals trading company HighChem, will supply the material to battery manufacturers in the country.
Asahi Kasei said Acetolyte’s high ionic conductivity could increase lithium-ion battery power output at low temperatures while improving durability at high temperatures. The company also claims the electrolyte could enable smaller battery packs with greater energy density, reducing manufacturing costs.
The companies are targeting demand from China’s expanding electric vehicle and battery energy storage markets. HighChem Shanghai will use its existing customer base and presence in the Chinese battery sector to promote the electrolyte and supply local customers.
HighChem values Acetolyte’s low-temperature performance
Yueyuan Long, general manager of HighChem Shanghai, said: “Having focused on the lithium-ion battery business for nearly 20 years, HighChem has knowledge and extensive business experience in the Chinese market. 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.”
Asahi Kasei has previously pursued licence agreements for Acetolyte in Europe as part of a strategy to commercialise its intellectual property without establishing its own manufacturing operations in every market.
Osamu Matsuzaki, senior executive officer of Asahi Kasei and head of corporate R&D, said: “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. By partnering with HighChem Shanghai, we can deliver innovative solutions to customers in this major market while further strengthening our licensing-based growth strategy.”
The licensing programme forms part of Asahi Kasei’s Technology-value Business Creation initiative, which covers the commercialisation of patents, technical expertise, data and algorithms.
Under the medium-term management plan announced in April 2025, the company is aiming to conclude at least ten new licence agreements during fiscal years 2025–27. It is targeting a cumulative profit contribution of at least ¥10 billion ($68 million) from the strategy by around 2030.
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement, planned production capacity or when commercial production in China is expected to begin.
Photo: Yuichi Taka of HighChem, Yueyuan Long of HighChem Shanghai, and Osamu Matsuzaki and Yuto Iizuka of Asahi Kasei at Asahi Kasei’s headquarters
Credit: Asahi Kasei
