Korean POSCO FutureM teams with US-based Sila to advance silicon anode materials
POSCO FutureM and Sila Nanotechnologies signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly advance advanced battery materials, the Korean company announced on March 13. The agreement was formalized on March 11 during InterBattery 2026 at COEX, a major convention center in Gangnam, Seoul.
Sila Nanotechnologies, based in California, specializes in silicon-based anode materials for lithium batteries. The company operates a silicon anode production facility in Moses Lake, Washington, reflecting its role in expanding US manufacturing capacity for next-generation battery components.
Under the MOU, POSCO FutureM’s technology in anode and cathode materials will be combined with Sila’s silicon anode capabilities to push forward joint research and development in high-performance battery materials. Senior executives from both companies attended the signing, including POSCO FutureM’s head of R&D, Hong Young-jun, and Sila’s founder and chief technology officer, Gleb Yushin.
Silicon anodes can offer substantially higher energy density than traditional graphite anodes—up to roughly tenfold in some claims—potentially delivering longer electric-vehicle ranges and faster charging. The partners intend to use carbon nanotube materials to address known weaknesses of silicon anodes, such as volume expansion during charge-discharge cycles, with the goal of extending battery life and reliability.
The collaboration also contemplates leveraging POSCO FutureM’s carbon material technologies to improve the cost competitiveness of silicon-based anodes, addressing a key hurdle in broad adoption of silicon chemistry in commercial cells.
This partnership highlights ongoing cross-border cooperation in advanced battery materials, a sector central to the global shift toward electrified transportation. For the United States, the deal underscores opportunities to diversify supply chains for EV batteries and related materials, potentially enhancing energy security and resilience for American automakers and battery manufacturers.
InterBattery 2026, where this MOU was announced, is one of Asia’s prominent battery industry events, drawing technology leaders from across the globe. COEX in Seoul serves as a hub for industry showcases, partnerships, and technology demonstrations that can influence international supplier networks and investment in next-generation battery components.