On Dec 25, 2023, Jinchuan's annual production of hand-tearable nickel strips, with a thickness of just 0.05 millimeters, exceeded 60 tons, achieving mass production. This milestone signifies Jinchuan Group's production technology for pure nickel foil having transitioned from the research and development stage to a new stage of industrialization.
In the cold rolling workshop of the Nickel Alloy Company, workers are coiling the pure nickel strip products. These ultra-thin pure nickel foils are high-quality raw materials for the manufacturing of new energy battery cathodes. With a thickness equal to one-third of an A4 piece of paper, they are known as "hand- tearable nickel". Due to such characteristics as high purity (above 99% pure nickel) and strong corrosion resistance, it is an essential new material for national economic development.
Ren Dajin, manager of the Safety and Security Department of the Nickel Alloy Company, explained, "Currently, we can roll down to a thickness of 0.05 millimeters, which represents an improvement in our rolling and processing technology. This level of technology can only be achieved when the purity of the nickel strip reaches a certain level."
As a core and critical component of new energy batteries, the research and development cycle of nickel alloy strip materials is long, with high technological barriers and difficulties in achieving large-scale production. After ten years of technological advancement, Jinchuan Group has made breakthroughs in both technological research and development and production manufacturing. This not only fills the domestic gap but also successfully supports the export of products, giving birth to a "national business card" for Jinchuan's nickel processing strip products to go global.
Since the beginning of this year, the Nickel Alloy Company has continuously expanded product sales channels and its customer base. The supply of wide nickel strips for chemical equipment manufacturing has reached 300 tons this year, and exports are expected to exceed 300 tons.
"At present, the market price of electrolytic nickel is 135,000 yuan (about $18,861) per ton, but thin pure nickel foil like ours can reach a market price of 250,000 yuan per ton. With the development of emerging industries such as new energy, the demand for pure nickel foil in the market is in short supply," said Li Yuan, project leader of the Nickel Alloy Company.
In 2024, the company will strive to establish Jinchuan's high-quality brand for nickel processing materials through prioritizing scientific and technological innovation and engaging in external cooperation.
